The Volturi Witch of Hogwarts- Part 3
by Scottishchick1786
Summary: Hermione leaves Volterra to start a new life with her charge and her familiar, away from the Volturi and away from Hogwarts. Four years have past and after receiving a letter she decides it's time to head back to Hogwarts where it all started for her. But someone isn't happy with her return. Hermione faces new dangers and an old enemy. But along the way she finally finds her heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Part Three**

 **Chapter One**

Hermione sat in her garden looking out across the expansive grounds, with an opened letter lying on top of the table in front of her. The moment she had seen the writing, she instantly knew who the sender was and couldn't wait to hear his news. She had opened it carefully, although she was full of excitement, but as her eyes drifted over the written words, she felt her heart sink and disappointment settle in. She had not been expecting what was in the letter, and so now sat feeling confused and lost, wondering what she should do about it.

It had been over four years now since she had made the decision to leave Volterra and not return back to Hogwarts, and she hadn't once regretted that decision. Until now. Although she still met up occasionally with Dumbledore and Remus, as well as Marcus, Felix and Demetri, it just wasn't the same. She felt incredibly isolated and missed them all terribly. She also felt as though something was missing from her life, but didn't want to think or dwell on that feeling for too long, so she pushed it away and concentrated on Morvin, who she knew missed her family also.

Sitting back in the chair with her feet propped up on the foot stool in front of her, she could hear laughter coming from Morvin, who was currently playing with Nafeesa somewhere on the grounds, and smiled to herself. She loved nothing more than hearing her daughter laughing, considering all that she had been through over the years.

It was with that thought that Hermione's smile quickly faded from her lips. Glancing back down at the letter, she bit her bottom lip with worry. The contents of the letter didn't only affect her, but also Morvin as well, and if she knew her daughter as much as she thought she did, then she knew that Morvin would be heartbroken.

Leaning her head back against the chair, Hermione shut her eyes and thought over the last few years. Like she always did when it came to making a difficult decision, she thought of Morvin and what she thought was best for her. So with a deep sigh Hermione became engrossed in her thoughts and memories, starting from four years ago after they had just left Volterra.

* * *

 **Four Years Ago**

The moment they had apparated away from the Palazzo, Hermione and Morvin landed on the grounds just outside the French Chateau. Hermione didn't know where they would go after leaving Volterra, but thought that Lucius wouldn't mind terribly if they came here for a while, until they had planned out what was next for them.

Looking around warily, Morvin glanced up and tugged on Hermione's hand, getting her attention instantly. She kneeled down and squeezed her daughter's hand reassuringly before asking,

"Are you alright sweetheart?" Her voice showed some concern, as she knew that Morvin might be a little scared and unsettled. Even though leaving Volterra was for the best, she had still just been uprooted away from her family and moved to an unfamiliar country, yet again. A stressful experience for any normal child, never mind a child with Morvin's past history. Hermione knew it would take time for Morvin to relax fully, but had vowed to help her as much as she could.

Morvin nodded her head in agreement, before looking around at the surroundings.

" _Why are we here mother?"_ Morvin's little voice asked in Hermione's mind. The last time Morvin had come here was with Athenodora during the battle in the Hoia-Baciu forest. On Hermione's orders, Athenodora had activated the portkey for them when the battle became too much.

Although she had spoken out loud for the first time since she was a human back at the Palazzo, Hermione knew that it would take Morvin a long time to be able to speak openly and confidently out loud in the future. She had patience though and would support her daughter no matter how long it took. Even if she never spoke out loud again, Hermione would still be there for her no matter what.

"One of my friends from Hogwarts owns the Chateau, he let me stay here once before and I don't think he would mind if we stayed here for a couple of weeks. So that we can decide what we're doing next." Hermione smiled up at her daughter and brushed a stray curl away from her eye. "Think of it as a holiday little Mo, just us in the countryside, we can do whatever we want?"

Morvin beamed down at Hermione, causing her heart to sore at the sight.

" _Whatever we want?"_ Morvin asked with a mischievous glint in her eye, causing Hermione to laugh and nod her head.

"Yes, whatever we want." Hermione agreed.

Morvin smiled again, then swiftly tapped Hermione on the shoulder and said,

" _Tag you're it."_ Before quickly running away in fits of laughter.

Hermione simply kneeled rooted to the spot as she watched Morvin, run and play like any normal child her age. She never had the freedom before to explore her childish nature, now she did, now she was free. And for the first time since leaving Volterra, Hermione knew she had made the right decision for them. Morvin needed this chance, this freedom to explore and just be herself. And so did she. This was their time together.

Getting to her feet Hermione chased after her daughter laughing and smiling just as broadly, as they began to play a game of tag. Neither one had any troubles or worries at that moment. They were happy and content in each other's company, as they ran, laughed and played, and for now that was enough for them both.

They ended up staying at the Chateau for two weeks, and during that time they spent their days exploring the surrounding countryside. They went hill walking, picked beautiful vibrant flowers, swam in rivers they found, played hide and seek, and visited shops when the weather permitted them to go out amongst the humans safely, without fear or risk of exposure.

Morvin had been around both magical and non-magical people before, so Hermione had no fear of her being drawn to human blood. Just like she had, Morvin possessed the ability to not be tempted by the allure of a human. So the two of them blended in well with others, and thanks to Hermione still having her magic she made it easier for them to fit in. They met a lot of new people on their adventures away from the Chateau and although Morvin was always shy and timid, she did very well on their outings. And because she didn't speak out loud, everyone assumed that Morvin was mute, which Hermione didn't correct. It helped them blend in even more as Morvin seemed to melt the hearts of everyone they came across.

In the evenings they would retreat back to the Chateau, and after the first couple of nights they had established a routine, just like any normal mother and child.

Hermione would bath Morvin, then sit and brush her hair for hours while they chatted, or while Morvin read to them. Sometimes their roles were reversed and Morvin would sit brushing Hermione's hair, while she read to them or would instead tell her stories about Hogwarts and her friends, and all the trouble they had gotten up to over the years. Morvin couldn't get enough of hearing those stories, and wished one day to visit Hogwarts castle and see all the magic for herself.

When she had told Hermione this, Hermione could only smile and say,

"Perhaps one day." Knowing that day would be a long time coming, for she honestly didn't know if she could return to Hogwarts and face her past. She couldn't tell that to Morvin though, as the last thing she wanted to do was disappoint her daughter and she doubted Morvin would understand her reluctance either.

At night when the sky was clear, they would lie outside on the grass and simply star gaze while holding each other's hand. It was simple things like that, which they enjoyed and it brought them closer together, strengthening the bond they already shared.

During their time at the Chateau, Hermione kept her promise and taught Morvin how to hunt. They started off slowly with Hermione first teaching Morvin how to run through the forest and climb trees. Morvin seemed to be a natural at this and loved the freedom that came with just being able to run wild. Once she had mastered that, Morvin then observed Hermione hunting, before trying it for herself.

Her first time at trying to hunt a small dear didn't go very well, and it ended in Morvin covered in dirt and blood, and a rather painful drawn out death for the dear. But Morvin was young and inexperienced and Hermione knew that with practice and time, Morvin's ability and technique would improve vastly. For now however, she was doing better than Hermione could have ever hoped for.

After two weeks of staying at the Chateau, Hermione and Morvin toured around Europe, never staying in one place longer than two weeks. They went to Spain, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, and Russia before finally returning back to the Dragon Sanctuary in Romania.

Morvin had been so happy to see Charlie and Phil again, and she became even happier when Dumbledore arrived with Remus in tow. She had never met Remus before, and the moment she saw him she became instantly scared, as she could tell that he was different from anyone else she had ever met before.

Hermione sat Morvin on her knee and spoke to her soothingly, as she explained all about Remus to her.

"Remus here is one of my very best friends and when I first changed into a vampire it was him who helped me. You see he knows what we went through as he has to go through his own change as well."

Morvin looked skeptically from Remus to Hermione and said,

" _But he's not a vampire like us."_

Hermione laughed at how observant Morvin was, and hugged her tightly to her chest. It really was amazing how similar they were at times, as Morvin was just as curious about knowledge and asking questions, as what she herself was.

"That's right sweetie Remus isn't a vampire. He's a werewolf." Morvin gasped out loud and turned large frightened eyes towards Remus, before burying her face into Hermione's neck. "Hey it's alright sweetie, he won't hurt you. I promise." Hermione said while stroking her daughter's hair in order to comfort her. "Remus is a good werewolf. Just like how there are good and bad vampires, good and bad witches and wizards, and good and bad humans in the world. Remus is a good and wonderful person and not only is he a werewolf but he's also a wizard as well."

Having her interest peaked, Morvin turned her head to look at Remus again, before she spoke to Hermione and said,

" _Just like how you're a vampire and a witch."_

Hermione beamed proudly at her daughter and stroked her cheek lovingly, an intimate gesture that didn't go unnoticed by the others in the room.

"Exactly sweetie just like me."

Morvin frowned then turned curious eyes onto Remus.

" _He isn't going to turn into a werewolf now is he?"_

Hermione laughed and shook her head in the negative.

"No sweetie he's not going to turn into a werewolf just now."

At her words, Remus let out a small chuckle. He couldn't hear what Morvin was saying, but from Hermione's side of the conversation he could only guess.

"I only change when it's the full moon Morvin but even then I take a special medicine. This medicine helps me so that I don't change fully. I may look like a werewolf and act a little like a werewolf, but my brain-" He said pointing to his head. "Is still me. That means I can't hurt anyone."

Morvin looked at Remus thoughtfully, then feeling brave said,

" _You still smell like a werewolf though, even when you are a wizard."_

Remus laughed loudly at her words, feeling both surprised and pleased at hearing her talk to him. Turning his gaze towards Hermione briefly he said,

"She is definitely your daughter Hermione." Turning his attention back to Morvin he smiled then said, "It's funny you should say that Morvin, because your mother's nickname for me is wet dog. While I call her bloodsucker."

Morvin giggled at that then said,

" _I like those names, they're funny. But I think I'll stick with uncle Remus?"_ Feeling at ease with the werewolf, Morvin moved away from Hermione and slowly made her way over to Remus, never once taking her eyes off of him. Although she felt she could trust him, she still couldn't help but feel wary around new people. Especially one who was also a werewolf.

Reaching out a tentative hand, she took Remus's own and squeezed it.

" _What's it like being a wolf? Is it scary? Does it hurt when you change?"_ Morvin asked curiously before settling herself comfortably on Remus's knee.

Hermione who was watching the whole exchange, couldn't help but smile proudly at her daughter. Ever since Dumbledore had cast the memory charm on Morvin, she had improved so much when it came to interacting with other people, especially those who were males. She was still shy and timid, but it was a vast improvement compared to how hostile she used to be.

Seeing Morvin now, sitting chatting happily away with her best friend, was so much more than she could ever have hoped for. As if sensing her rising emotions, Dumbledore squeezed her hand gently and smiled, while his eyes twinkled madly.

"She is doing splendidly Hermione. You are doing a great job with her."

Hermione smiled then shook her head softly, causing her curls to gently sway.

"It's not me Albus it's her. She's so amazing." Since the others were busy doing other things, Hermione turned her attention fully towards Dumbledore. And although she was reluctant to ask, she had to know, for her own piece of mind. "Albus, how has Severus been since he returned to Hogwarts?" She asked in a small voice.

The last time they had spoken together still played in Hermione's mind. She cared deeply for him, and that she felt would never change. But she couldn't give him what he wanted at that time, as she had to focus on Morvin. She hadn't wanted to hurt him, but the sad truth was she had.

Dumbledore smiled sadly at Hermione, sensing her reluctance at wanting to talk about the wizard.

"He is as well as can be expected." That was the truth, but not the whole of it. Dumbledore wasn't sure what had happened been Severus and Hermione, but he could guess.

Ever since the young Potions Professor had returned back to Hogwarts, he had been more reserved and quiet than usual with his colleagues. His normal short temper was even shorter and his patience was at an all-time low. But he didn't want to tell Hermione that, as she was already feeling enough guilt, without having to feel more.

Accepting his words, she gave a small nod of understanding before turning her attention back to her daughter. And just as quickly as it had begun, the topic of Severus Snape was now closed for discussion.

They stayed at the Dragon Sanctuary for three months, spending some of that time with Dumbledore and Remus, who on the odd occasion brought Dora and Teddy along. Hermione had been so happy to see her friend and to meet her Godson for the first time, and Dora had been so excited to hear all about the trouble Hermione had been up to since leaving Hogwarts.

Remus had already explained to Dora about Morvin, which Hermione didn't mind as they were married. So Dora wasn't surprised when she got to meet the little girl for herself. She was happy for Hermione and could see how good the two of them were for each other.

Morvin also fell in love with Teddy, who was now starting to crawl about. She was also completely fascinated by the fact that both Dora and Teddy were metamorphmagus's and often got Dora, the more experienced one, to perform for her.

The most important thing for Hermione however, was seeing her old friend Nafeesa again. The moment they had arrived at the Dragon Sanctuary the first thing she had asked Charlie was,

"How is Nafeesa doing?"

Charlie grinned at his friend before giving her a tight squeeze then said,

"And hello to you too. It's nice to see your doing so well." He said sarcastically, with a cheeky grin on his handsome face.

Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes at him in return.

"Sorry I'll start again then shall I. Hello Charlie how are you? Now how's my dragon." She said the last part in a more serious voice, causing Charlie to shake his head in dismay.

"Really Hermione." Putting his hands on her shoulders he smiled and said, "She's fine, honestly. She's fully recovered now and only last week was able to hunt for the first time since her injuries. You can see her whenever you want. She'll be pleased to see you. That girl is bloody stubborn." Letting out a fake cough, he then muttered, "Just like her rider." But Hermione was able to hear him.

With a pleased smile she elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to almost buckle over in pain, as he tried to catch his breath.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry Charlie. I keep forgetting how strong I am."

"My fault." Was all he was able to choke out, until the winded feeling had subsided. "Remind me never to give you any cheek again."

After that Charlie took Hermione to see Nafeesa, before she could do any more harm to his person, and watched on with a large beaming smile as Nafeesa saw her rider for the first time in months.

The moment Hermione had stepped foot into the enclosure, Nafeesa had stepped out of her cave, locked eyes with Hermione before flying straight over to them. She was going so fast that she barreled straight into Hermione, knocking her onto the ground, before she quickly started lapping at Hermione's face,with her long forked tongue.

Unable to contain her laughter and merriment, Hermione cupped Nafeesa's large cheeks and just let her continue with her onslaught, as Charlie shouted,

"That's right Nafeesa you get her."

After what seemed like hours later, Nafeesa finally stopped her attack on Hermione, before falling down exhausted next to her. Although her injuries had fully recovered now, she was so out of practice when it came to exerting herself that she still tired easily.

"I've missed you so much Nafeesa. I couldn't wait to see you again but wanted to make sure you had recovered first." Hermione said running her hands lovingly over Nafeesa's familiar black scaly skin. "I am so sorry for putting you in that position. I wish I could have done more to protect you. In fact no, I wish you hadn't been there to get hurt in the first place. Can you ever forgive me?" Hermione asked looking into those intelligent yellow eyes that she had so missed.

As if answering her non-humans question, Nafeesa made a gentle mewling noise before nuzzling her head into Hermione's stomach.

Hermione smiled and stroked her friends head before she heard Morvin calling out for her.

"Over here little Mo." She answered back.

Just like she had done with Hermione, Nafeesa became excited once again at seeing Morvin. With much less vigor and more gentleness than you would expect from a large powerful dragon like Nafeesa. She ran towards her, stopping before she knocked into Morvin and began another assault, much to Morvin's delight.

Getting back up to her feet, Hermione dusted the grass off her clothes and turned to Charlie while the other two were busy playing and catching up.

"How is she for flying now?" She asked.

Charlie smiled and said,

"She's been flying short distances like from her cave to here, but for now that's all the exercise she's been getting. Longer distances cause her to get tired quickly, so she has to build up her strength and stamina." And so that was exactly what Hermione did.

For three months she spent every day with Nafeesa, and sometimes Morvin, depending on whether there were visitors at the sanctuary or not. And exercised with her. They ran together, hunted together, and flew together until finally Nafeesa became stronger and fitter than ever before.

Nafeesa flourished with all the attention that she was getting from Hermione, and enjoyed spending time with her rider once again. Morvin was a delight also, and brought out Nafeesa's more playful side. The balance they all shared together was perfect, and each of them brought out the others better qualities.

The close relationship between dragon and rider still astounded those who worked at the Dragon Sanctuary. They had always known that dragons were intelligent, powerful and loyal animals, but Nafeesa and Hermione's relationship proved that even further.

They all knew that Nafeesa was not tame by any means, she was still a wild, dangerous and powerful dragon at the end of the day. But those who were neither a threat nor a danger to her, or her rider, were safe in her company. She was loyal to them, as long as they in return remained loyal to her. But she was intelligent and seemed to know who could or couldn't be trusted.

That was proven when one of the people at the sanctuary, Adalyn, could not get near Hermione, Morvin or Nafeesa herself. She was no danger to them, but Nafeesa knew that the witch didn't like Hermione. She was jealous of her. Her beauty, her personality, her powers and the fact that Hermione was everything she would never be. Nafeesa sensed those feelings and didn't trust the witch anywhere near her non-human.

After three months of living at the Dragon Sanctuary, Hermione began to feel like it was time to move on again. Morvin had settled down happily at the sanctuary, but Hermione couldn't help but feel like she needed to spend some time with vampires of their kind as well. After all unlike Hermione, Morvin wasn't half witch, half vampire. She was a full vampire, and the last thing Hermione wanted was for Morvin to forget who and what she was.

So she spoke to Charlie about her feelings and came up with a plan. Returning to Volterra was out of the question, but perhaps there was somewhere else they could go instead. And so with that in mind Hermione had called Alice and spoke to her about them coming to visit them in Forks. Alice of course was incredibly excited by this news and readily agreed, and so did Carlisle, Esme and the others. The only person she had left to speak to now was Morvin, and she had a feeling that perhaps, that particular conversation wouldn't go down well.

When the time came to speak to Morvin, Hermione waited until it was just the two of them and sat her daughter down in Nafeesa's enclosure. They were picking flowers in the grass, while Nafeesa was happily lazing on her side.

"Morvin there's something I wish to ask you; how do you feel staying here?"

Lying her head on Nafeesa's stomach, Morvin looked up at Hermione from thick eyelashes and said,

" _I like living here with Uncle Charlie and Uncle Phil. I like getting to spend time with Nafeesa, but I really enjoy spending time with you the most."_

Hermione smiled at her daughter before twirling a buttercup between her fingers.

"I love spending time with you as well sweetheart, and of course Nafeesa, Charlie and Phil. But don't you want to spend some time with other vampires just like us. Don't you miss that?"

At her words Morvin sat upright and looked at her mother.

" _I don't want to go back to Volterra. I want to stay here. Maybe Grandfather can come and visit, just like how Grandpa Dumbledore and Uncle Remus visits."_ Morvin's panicked little voice said in Hermione's mind.

She smiled fondly as she thought of her father and how much she was missing him. Since leaving Volterra they had corresponded with each other, sending letters on a weekly basis. He told her everything that was going on in Volterra, excluding the topic of Aro, while she wrote all about her and Morvin's travels. She wanted to see him, Felix and Demetri desperately but they never seemed to have the time just now. Whether that was the case or whether Aro forbade them from meeting her, she wasn't sure.

"No sweetheart I don't mean going back to Volterra. Do you remember my friends who we met before the battle, Carlisle and his wife Esme as well as Alice and the others? Well they've invited us to join them in Forks and stay for however long we want to."

Morvin frowned in confusion then asked,

" _Where is Forks mother?"_

The first part of their conversation had been easy, but explaining to her where Forks was and what that would mean for them, was going to be the difficult part.

"Forks is in America sweetheart. It would mean we would leave here and go and live over there for a while. It also means that none of our family will be able to visit us as often as they do now. I know it's a big step but it might be good for us. The Cullen's are wonderful people and I think you will enjoy it there."

If Morvin had the ability to cry, she would have. So far all they ever did was move about from one place to another, never staying long enough and never getting the chance to meet new friends. She missed her family and hated the thought of not being able to see them. Spending time with Hermione was great, and she loved Hermione so much, but she was a young girl and sometimes she felt like she needed more than just her mother around.

Moving to America might be fun, she liked the Cullen's and knew they were good people. But she would miss her family. Especially Nafeesa. Thinking of the dragon by her side, Morvin turned wide eyes to Hermione and grimaced.

" _We can't go mother; we can't leave Nafeesa again."_

Hermione smiled and looked at Nafeesa, who had raised her head up at the sound of her name being spoken.

"Actually I spoke to Charlie and he said it was alright if we took Nafeesa with us. I have my magic so can easily hide us. Plus, he thinks she's ready for long journeys now."

Hearing that changed everything for Morvin. Flinging herself into her mother's arms she smiled happily.

" _Yes. Let's go to America."_

They stayed at the Dragon Sanctuary for a couple more weeks, so that they could say goodbye to Dumbledore, Remus, Dora and Teddy, before the three of them set off on their long journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Before leaving Romania, Hermione had purchased a map and planned out there journey ahead. They stopped in several places across Europe in order to hunt and for Nafeesa to rest, before she eventually made the journey across the sea. The moment they had reached land they made a stop at White Mountain National Forest, which was situated between New Hampshire and Maine, on the Northeastern part of the United States.

Here they were able to blend in unseen, so that the three of them could hunt and Nafeesa could rest without them being exposed. The forest was big enough for them to hide in, especially with Hermione casting strong wards to stop muggles from coming anywhere near their camp.

They stayed there for a couple of days before setting off to their next destination which was Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota. When they reached there, Hermione done the same things as she had done before.

During their brief stay here however, Hermione had sensed other nomad vampires around, although they couldn't get near them because of the wards she had placed. If she could sense them, she couldn't help but wonder if they could sense her as well.

They didn't stay there long as she didn't want to risk exposing either Morvin or Nafeesa to unknown potentially dangerous vampires, so they left after only a day and headed to their next stop called Bitterroot National Forest in Idaho. This was there last stop before they reached the Olympic National Forest in Washington, where the Cullen's lived, on the outskirts of the small town of Forks.

They reached the middle of the forest, so that they could hunt before heading to the Cullen's but from almost the moment Nafeesa had landed, both she and Hermione could sense something amiss. The smell was wrong and a sense of danger surrounded them, causing both their hackles to rise.

"Hold onto me and don't let go, unless I say so, alright." Hermione said, as she lifted Morvin onto her back.

She never dropped her guard, as she kept her senses focused on the surrounding area. Looking at Nafeesa and seeing the scowl on her face, they began to slowly make their way cautiously through the forest.

After walking for an hour, the sense of danger began to grow and the unpleasant smell around them got stronger and stronger. Not liking the situation at all, Hermione was about to tell Nafeesa that they were leaving, when something caught her attention.

Angry, quick paced, footsteps could be heard running through the forest and straight towards them. Listening closely Hermione could make out several footsteps but couldn't determine the number in the group.

The unpleasant smell became stronger the closer the footsteps got, and almost at once Hermione recognized who or rather what had caused it.

As quickly as she could Hermione whipped out her wand from her sleeve, and cast a large, strong protection charm around them, just in time as several large growling wolfs surrounded them.

They were unlike anything Hermione had ever seen before. They were not the same type of wolf as Remus, a child of the moon. They were more like large vicious dogs than anything else. But what they were didn't matter at the moment.

They were growling and baring their teeth at her family, ready to attack and kill at any moment. So if they wanted a battle then that's what they would get, as Hermione was prepared to protect her family no matter what the cost was.

Without taking her eyes off the group of wolves in front of her, Hermione pried a frightened Morvin from her back and sat her on top of Nafeesa.

"Take her away should anything happen to me." She instructed Nafeesa, despite the fact both of them knew that nothing would happen to her, she was far too powerful and had taken on much more dangerous beings than these wolves. But she could never be too careful.

Stepping forward Hermione held her wand up ready to start firing spells off, and bared her teeth at the group of growling wolfs in front of her.

The Cullen's had never once mentioned living close to a large pack of vicious wolves, so she never expected that this would be there welcome.

"Let the battle commence." She thought suddenly, ready to cast her first spell at the large alpha wolf snarling from straight in front of her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

 **Present Day**

Hermione was brought out of her musings by Morvin's laughter. Turning her head to the side Hermione saw her daughter chasing Nafeesa about the grounds, a large smile upon her face.

"Are you having fun little Mo?" Hermione shouted across the noise.

Morvin stopped and turned to look at her mother, her eyes shining brightly with happiness. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear then nodded her head with much enthusiasm.

"Yes mother." Morvin said out loud, in her quiet girlish little voice. "Can I take Nafeesa for a fly please?" She asked eagerly, almost bouncing on the balls of her heels with excitement.

Hermione chuckled at the sight of her daughter, the love and pride she felt for the small girl clearly radiating from every part of her. She had been talking out loud for a few months now, but only in front of the people she loved and trusted. Dumbledore, her grandma Minnie, as she referred to Minerva McGonagall, Remus, Dora, Marcus, and of course herself. She tended not to speak out loud around Charlie, Felix and Demetri for some reason, despite the fact that she absolutely adored them. Regardless of that, Hermione was still immensely proud of her daughter, who never ceased to amaze her.

Hermione turned her attention to her best friend and smiled, as she watched Nafeesa do her little pouting face, well pouting in a way that only dragons could. Hermione laughed and shook her head, knowing that she was truly outnumbered.

"Fine but be careful, both of you." She said pointing a finger at the two of them.

Morvin squealed with delight, as Nafeesa licked her face, before kneeling down and bending her head so that Morvin could climb onto her back safely. Standing up, she turned her attention to Hermione and waited, as she pulled out her wand and cast some safety spells that would stop Morvin from falling.

"Have fun." Hermione said once the spells were cast and she was satisfied with her work.

With that Nafeesa began to run before she took off and flew up into the air. Hermione didn't have any fears regarding Morvin's safety with Nafeesa. She knew that her friend would take good care of her daughter, and would never let any harm come to her. She also didn't worry about them being seen for they lived in the countryside surrounded by 100 acres of privately owned land. Also just like at the Dragon Sanctuary there were protective wards up stopping Nafeesa from flying too far.

Resting her head back against the chair, she watched them for a moment, before closing her eyes and getting back to her previous thoughts.

She still remembered the first time she ever set eyes on the wolves, or rather the shapeshifters, as they turned out to be. She had been ready to kill them in order to protect her daughter and dragon, and would have succeeded if they had been alone. Luckily for the shapeshifters they hadn't been.

* * *

 **Forks- Four Years Ago**

Hermione raised her wand ready to cast a hex at the large snarling black wolf in front of her. She heard Morvin whimper in fear next to her, as she clung on tightly to Nafeesa, who also stood poised and ready to attack.

The large alpha wolf snarled and gnashed its large sharp teeth at them, while its pack members copied the same action. There were six of them in total all growling and snarling viciously at Hermione and her small family.

Hermione let out a growl and was about to send a curse at the alpha wolf, when another presence let itself be known, a presence that she was all too familiar with. Hearing the footsteps of several people running quickly through the woods, Hermione knew that it was no human. She wasn't sure whether to be grateful or fearful, as she wondered if they knew what they were coming into.

Breaking through the thick trees, Alice saw the scene before her and quickly moved between the wolf pack and Hermione, holding her arms up between them in order to stop any fighting. As the rest of the Cullen's quickly followed behind.

"Stop please, there's no need for fighting. This is my friend Hermione; she means you no harm." Alice said, talking to the wolf pack in a familiar tone of voice.

The alpha wolf snarled at Hermione again, while Alice turned to her friend.

"Hermione please lower your wand. The wolves aren't what you think they are. I promise they are no threat to you."

Hermione wanted to snort at that, but without taking her gaze off of Alice she said,

"It looks like they're a threat to me."

Just then Carlisle came over and stood next to Hermione, placing his hand gently on her arm, hoping to diffuse the situation.

"Please Hermione lower your wand. I promise they won't hurt you."

Turning her attention to the vampire beside her, Hermione felt herself calm down at Carlisle's soothing presence.

She saw the genuinely concerned look in his eyes, and knew that she could trust him.

"Fine. But if they make a single wrong move towards my family I _will_ kill them." Hermione said, her voice sounding hard like steel.

At her threat, the alpha wolf gave her a dangerous growl, causing Hermione to snap her head around to look at it. She gazed straight into its eyes and saw something flash in them, something that looked almost human. Feeling intrigued by this she lowered her wand and stood straight, moving from her defensive position.

"Who or what are you?" She asked the alpha, again never taking her eyes off of it.

At her question, she was amazed to see the large wolf morph into a human man, dressed only in a pair of ripped shorts.

"I think it should be me asking that question of you?" The man said, his brows furrowed and a confused look upon his face. He could sense that the woman in front of him was a vampire, as they all had the same cold sickly sweet smell about them. But she was unlike any vampire he had ever come across before.

To begin with she had a heartbeat, no vampire ever had a heartbeat as they were dead. She didn't look like the normal vampire, yes she was pale, but her eyes, they were different. They appeared expressive and full of life. And lastly he felt something radiate from her very soul, something magical that seemed to reach out to him.

Hermione could also feel the magic pulsate from him, it wasn't the same kind of magic that she had, it was different, but she could still feel its signature. She was even more intrigued now than she was before.

Looking towards Carlisle for some reassurance, he gave her a small smile and nodded his head once.

"Go ahead." He said softly.

Hermione looked at the man in front of her and took a small step forward, causing the others to growl out in warning.

"Quiet." The man ordered his pack, reaching his hand out behind him while his gaze stayed firmly on the woman in front. At his order the others ceased making any noise, while a couple of the low ranking wolves lowered their heads in submission.

"My name is Hermione Granger. I am half witch and half vampire as you can probably tell." She said with a small smile, as she remembered everything Remus had told her about his enhanced senses. "I came to Forks not to cause trouble but just to visit the Cullen's, who are my friends. This is Morvin my daughter, she is a full vampire. And this here is Nafeesa my familiar. She is an alpha dragon in my world and I am her rider. She won't attack anyone unless she feels we are being threatened."

The man in front of her gave no reaction to her words, except from a slight widening of his eyes.

"You-you are a witch?" He asked curiously.

Hermione smiled and slowly pulled out her wand. At seeing this the wolf pack began to growl in warning as they moved closer to their alpha, fearing that she was going to harm him.

She held up her empty hand in submission and said,

"I promise not to hurt your leader I just want to show him something."

The man in front of her hesitated for a moment, before telling his pack to stand down when his curiosity got the better of him.

"Go on." He said in a commanding voice that Hermione didn't like all that much, and neither, it seemed, did Nafeesa for she growled quietly beside her non-human.

"This is my wand." Hermione said holding out the familiar piece of wood for him to see. "Although I can do wandless magic, I am much stronger with my wand." She pointed it at a nearby tree and said, "I can do good things with it." Here she cast a nonverbal spell, causing beautiful brightly colored blooms to appear amongst the green foliage. "Or I can do bad things." She cast a spell causing the bluish-white ball of light to come out. It hit the tree causing a small explosion before it disintegrated, turning to dust before their eyes. Hermione turned her attention back to the alpha male in front of her and tilted her head at him. "I killed a whole army of evil vampires with that spell, so imagine what else I am capable of doing. Now I told you all about me, it's your turn to tell me all about you. Starting with who or what are you?" She asked, repeating her previous question to him once again.

Despite the fact Hermione wielded a lot of power, he could sense that she was not evil, not like most of the other vampires who he had previously crossed paths with. He could sense a lot of good in her and knew she was different to anyone he had ever met before. She was brave, that he could tell by the way she spoke to him. And he rather liked it.

"My name is Sam Uley and this is my pack. We are not werewolves like many people think, we're shapeshifters. We first start to phase when we meet vampires for the first time. Our job is to hunt and kill them, in order to protect the humans, we live amongst."

Now it was Hermione's turn to be surprised. Of course in the magical world there were people like Minerva McGonagall who were animagus's, people who could turn into animals. But somehow she suspected that Sam Uley and his pack were different.

"How can that be? I mean you're not wizards are you?" She asked, still wondering why she could sense magic coming from him.

Sam shook his head in the negative then said,

"No we're not. It's a long story but the shortened version is that the power we have to change is in our genes. We are descended from the ancient spirit warriors of the Quileute tribe." Sam said proudly, puffing out his chest.

Hermione couldn't help it as she whispered,

"Amazing." The thought of learning more about Sam Uley and his history peaked the academic in her. There was nothing she enjoyed more than learning new things, and she found this whole thing fascinating.

Alice and Carlisle sniggered at Hermione, glad the tension had eased between them all.

"Why don't we all head back to our house. I'm sure you would all like to swap stories about your history." Carlisle said, relief sounding in his voice.

Hermione lay her hand on Nafeesa, who was becoming less tense by the situation, before taking Morvin down from her back.

She looked squarely at Sam Uley, and wrapping her arms securely around Hermione's neck she bravely said,

" _I knew you weren't a real werewolf. My uncle Remus is a real werewolf and you don't seem at all like him."_

Shocked by the small voice in his head, Sam looked at the curious vampire child and gave her a small smile.

"Is it true that you know a real child of the moon Hermione?" He asked the newcomer in what sounded like disbelief.

"How did you-" She began before Sam nodded towards Morvin. Hermione laughed and kissed her daughter lightly on the head. "Might have guessed." She whispered lovingly. "Yes I do. Remus is my best friend, he helped me after I went through my own change. He is also a wizard and takes a potion for the full moon."

Sam's eyebrows shot up as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Really a vampire and a werewolf friends." He said disbelievingly. "And what does this potion do for him?" He asked with some curiosity.

Hermione smiled and began to tell him all about the wolfsbane potion and what it did. She also told him about having fought alongside Remus, Jasper and Emmett to kill a pack of evil werewolves who threatened them.

"Interesting story Hermione. But you seem to have been in a lot of fights. Despite the fact that you are a vampire and a witch you seem to have no qualms about killing."

Hermione frowned at his words, not liking where he was going with that statement, before saying,

"I don't kill on a whim. I don't kill for sport or those who are innocent. I kill because sometimes it's necessary. Those wolves were rapists, they tortured innocent people, and one of them enjoyed biting children during the full moon. Are you honestly telling me you would stand by and let them continue do that?"

Sam had to admit that Hermione had a valid point. He and his pack had killed vampires who were out killing innocent humans. If they had come across those wolves, they probably would have done the same thing as Hermione and her friends had done.

"I suppose you are right, but what about the vampires you killed. Surely you would have made an exception for your own kind." Sam said, knowing that he was baiting her.

Hermione snorted and shook her head,

"Yeah right they were just as bad as the werewolves. Killing innocent people, turning humans into vampires to build their armies up. They wanted to take over the Volturi, and if they had succeeded then I dread to think what would have happened. Look, the truth is I done what I had to do, that's all."

They had been so engrossed in their discussion that Sam had completely forgotten about his pack, until one of wolves with dark silver fur, put his paw on Sam and whimpered.

"It's alright Paul. It's safe to change back."

At his words the five wolves began to morph back into their human forms until five more males were standing in front of Hermione, all with varying looks of awe, excitement and concern on their faces.

"Let me introduce you to my pack." Sam said pointing to the wolf he had just spoken too. "This here is Paul Lahote."

"Hey." Paul said in greeting.

"This is Jared Cameron."

"Nice to meet you."

"This is Quil Ateara V."

"What's up?" Quil said with a rather cheeky grin, causing Sam to roll his eyes before continuing on.

"That there is Brady Fuller."

He wore a frown on his face, and simply nodded his head in greeting to the newcomers. In his opinion the half vampire half witch was not to be trusted. She was dangerous, despite what Sam believed.

"And lastly this is-" Sam began but was quickly interrupted mid-sentence.

"Hi I'm Collin Littlesea." He said with a wide grin and lots of enthusiasm as he held out his hand for Hermione to shake, which she did all the while wearing an amused smile.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm Hermione, this is my daughter Morvin and this is my familiar Nafeesa." She said repeating her previous introductions, just in case they hadn't understood what she was saying in their wolf forms.

"Erm not to be rude but how do you suppose to hide a dragon here in Forks. Not meaning to be disrespectful or anything but there are humans close by, and she is rather erm big." Collin asked turning his gaze onto the large intimidating beast standing next to the half vampire witch.

She gave him a smile before saying,

"I am a witch remember. There are spells I can use to hide her and make her invisible to muggles." She held up her wand again and said, "And I can do this." She cast a disillusionment spell on her and Nafeesa for a second before they reappeared. She smiled as she saw their shocked faces looking back at her.

"That is so cool." Collin said with excitement.

Sam snorted at his excited pack member before looking at Hermione.

"Impressive I grant you. But what is a muggle."

And so it was while answering this question that the large unusual group headed to the Cullen's home. A tentative relationship forming between the newcomers and the Uley pack.

Hermione told them all about the magical world and everything she had done since turning into a vampire. While Sam and his pack told her all about their history and the first shapeshifter Taha Aki and how he came about becoming a shapeshifter.

Hermione was incredibly excited about all this new information she was learning and couldn't wait to tell Remus and the others about it. She didn't know if they knew about the Quileute history or not, but even if they did she was still going to discuss it with them the next time they visited.

The tentative relationship she had built up with the Uley pack grew into friendship the longer they stayed in Forks. They accepted her into their group and showed her around La Push where they lived, a safe distance away from any humans, on private land that they owned.

Even Nafeesa enjoyed playing and chasing the large wolfs, who were much bigger than normal wolves in the wild. Hermione often had running competitions with the Uley pack, as the shapeshifters speed was almost as fast as hers.

For months they lived happily amongst each other without any problems or issues, getting to know each other better. That was until Bella Cullen, her husband Edward and daughter Renesmee came back home after spending time away on the Cullen's remote island getaway. Another wolf named Jacob also arrived with them, and he instantly became suspicious of Hermione. He seemed to be protective of the little girl more than anyone else and it was Alice who had to explain to Hermione all about imprinting and what it entailed.

Although the thought of soulmates didn't bother Hermione in the slightest, what she couldn't quite understand was how the men of the pack could imprint on children and babies. She normally wasn't one to judge other cultures, but this bothered her. And it was because of this that made her even more protective towards Morvin whenever she was around the wolf pack. The thought of one of them imprinting on her daughter sickened her, and she wasn't sure she would react favorably towards it.

Luckily though it was Sam who explained to Hermione that shapeshifters didn't imprint on vampires, because the whole reason for imprinting wasn't just to find their soulmates but also to reproduce. Renesmee was different to most vampires as she was a human/vampire hybrid, which meant that although she had some traits belonging to vampires, she also had some traits that were still human and so therefore had the ability to conceive a child.

This news brought some relief for Hermione and she was able to once again relax around the wolf pack. The same couldn't be said for when she was around Bella and Edward however. From the moment Hermione met them, she got the feeling that Bella didn't like her at all. Edward didn't seem as obvious in his feelings towards Hermione like his wife.

They lived in their own house in the middle of the forest so that they were close to the rest of the Cullen clan, but far enough away to enjoy their own privacy. This meant that Hermione could relax without worrying about them, whenever they were in their own home.

But when Bella and Edward visited, Bella especially seemed so stiff and formal, and Hermione often found the other female glaring at her for no reason. As a guest in the Cullen's home, Hermione didn't want to say anything and cause an even bigger atmosphere, so instead she opted to stay quiet in order to keep the peace. But after months of tiptoeing around the other female vampire, and after one glare too many, the difficult situation finally came to a head.

Hermione was in the Cullen's kitchen drinking a glass of red wine, while watching Morvin laughing and playing with Renesmee. Since their first meeting together, they had become quick friends unlike their mothers.

She was smiling contentedly at the scene before her when she suddenly felt eyes burning a hole through the back of her head. Swiveling in her chair she turned around to see Bella once again glaring at her.

Unable to stand the tension anymore, Hermione rose to her feet and finally confronted the other female vampire.

"I have no idea what I have done to you, but I would rather you tell me than keep going on like this." She said standing before the other woman, her hands firmly placed on her hips so that she didn't feel the urge to whip out her wand.

Bella snorted and turned golden eyes onto Hermione.

"You stand there looking all innocent with not an ounce of shame about you."

Hermione frowned, listening to Bella's words, but she only felt more confused by them.

"I'm sorry but why on earth should I feel shame. I have been nothing but civil to the wolves and I have nothing but respect for the Cullen's. I honestly don't see what your problem is."

Bella huffed at Hermione, and shook her head in disbelief.

"That's the problem, you don't get it. You come waltzing here to Forks acting all innocent and sweet but I know exactly what kind of vampire you are. You're just like them, selfish, getting whatever you want no matter the consequences."

Hermione was even more confused by Bella's words than she was before. Trying not to let her anger overpower her, she said,

"I'm sorry but you have no idea who I am or what I've been through so don't you dare judge me. As for being selfish, aren't all of us a little bit selfish. And what on earth do you mean by 'I'm just like them?' Who exactly am I like?"

Bella frowned at Hermione then spat,

"The Volturi. You're just as bad as them. I know about you and Aro being mates. The whole lot of them disgusts me."

Hermione's whole body tensed now as understanding began to creep in. But despite that, she still didn't like what she was hearing.

"You don't know any of the vampires in the Volturi properly. I know you had a bad experience with them but they aren't all bad. As for Aro being my mate, if that was true don't you think I would be with him now instead of here in Forks with all of you?" Hermione sighed then said, "Look Bella I never asked to be a vampire, I was quite happy being a witch. But I was turned when I was injured and unable to fight back. I was in love with a wizard back home but I had to leave him behind because I knew we could never be together as we are. You say you know me but really you know nothing about me."

"A bad experience." Bella yelled, ignoring everything else Hermione said and focusing solely on that. "Is that what you call it? The Volturi came here to destroy my family. They wanted to kill my daughter because they believed her to be an immortal child. I gave birth to her while I was still a human, she is my flesh and blood and they wanted to destroy her. And yet here you are with an actual immortal child and yet you get to keep her because you happen to be the mate of Aro, the leader of the Volturi. And you expect me to be ok with that?"

At the mention of her daughter Hermione instantly went on the defense.

"I am truly sorry about what happened with you and your daughter. But how dare you judge me and mine. Yes, she might not be my own flesh and blood but I feel like she is mine here." She said pointing to her heart. "Where it matters the most. And for your information Aro wanted to destroy Morvin as well but didn't because he blackmailed me into staying at the Palazzo. The only reason he let us go was because he knew that I could kill them all, with a single swish of my wand. I saved my daughter from hell and had to get my friend to cast a memory charm on her, so that she couldn't remember what she had gone through. Do you want me to show you how I found her hmmm?" Hermione barked out.

She pulled out her wand and cast legilimency on Bella, only to be met by what seemed like a steel wall. Not letting that deter her she enhanced her magic before she was finally able to break through her defenses. Once she was in Bella's mind, she began to show image after image of the abuse Morvin had received, about what her abuser had said to Hermione before she killed him, about her behavior afterwards, and then finally when Dumbledore had cast the memory charm on her.

Pulling out of Bella's mind, Hermione watched in satisfaction as the other woman crumpled to the ground clutching herself, with her head bent low, as she absorbed everything she had just seen.

"Imagine that was your daughter. You can judge me all you want but you will never judge my daughter like that again." Hermione began to walk away only to be met by the rest of the Cullen's. They had obviously heard the yelling and came to investigate. But at the moment Hermione was too angry and riled up to care what any of them thought about her. "I'm sorry Carlisle but I can no longer stay here in Forks. Thank you for allowing us to spend time with you and your family, we have really enjoyed it immensely." She said, trying not to allow her emotions to spill over in front of everyone.

"Hermione please, you don't have to leave. Stay a bit longer." Carlisle begged taking both of Hermione's hands in his own. He didn't want her to think that she wasn't welcome here, as far as he was concerned she and Morvin were just as much a part of his family, as Bella was. He was sure that in time the two women could get over this hurdle and get along together.

She shook her head sadly, causing her curls to sway, before saying,

"I'm sorry Carlisle but neither me nor Morvin can stay here any longer, we have to go back home."

With that she pulled away from him, only to be met by the sad face of her daughter.

"Come on little Mo it's time to go pack." She whispered.

Morvin held her hands up to her mother wanting to be lifted up, and Hermione was only too glad to pick her up and hold her close.

" _Why are we leaving?"_ Morvin asked innocently.

Hermione sighed as she began to walk up the stairs to their room.

"Because Uncle Charlie and grandpa Dumbledore are missing us." It wasn't a complete lie as they were missing them, but still it wasn't the complete truth either. "We've been here long enough don't you think?" Hermione asked hoping that her daughter wouldn't be too upset. She could see how much she liked it here, and honestly so did Hermione. But she couldn't stand to be near Bella any longer.

" _I suppose so."_ Morvin said cuddling into Hermione's neck. Truthfully she was glad to be going home, because as much as she liked the Cullen's they weren't her real family and she wanted to be back beside them. She hadn't wanted to tell her mother that though as she could see how happy she was here.

So that night Hermione packed up all of their things once more, said goodbye to everyone while trying to avoid Bella, and together the three of them set off into the darkness. She knew deep down that she would never return back to Forks again, as there was nothing here for them, but she hoped that she would remain in contact with the Cullen's and also the Uley pack, who she had begun to really like.

Flying back the same way they had come, Hermione couldn't help but wonder what was next for them. She didn't want to travel anymore, as Morvin was at the stage now where she needed roots and a solid foundation. Plus, she wanted to live near their little family, but still remain independent and not live in the Palazzo, Hogwarts or the Dragon Sanctuary. So she knew that it would have to be somewhere in the middle.

Hermione didn't worry about it too much however, as they had a long journey ahead of them and she wanted to be focused solely on that for now. Despite that, she knew that another exciting chapter was just about to begin for the three of them.

 **I really don't like the character of Bella Swan, I find her whiney and weak lol. So I apologize to any Bella Swan fans for my Bella bashing lol. Thank you for reading this Xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

 **Four years ago after leaving Forks**

After the three of them left Forks, Hermione wasn't entirely sure what to do next. She knew that she didn't want to travel here there and everywhere again, and instead wanted to put down roots somewhere that lay in the middle of all the countries the people she cared about lived. But in order to do that, it would take time and some planning. So she did the only thing she could think of and headed back to the place where she felt the most at home, and that was at the Dragon Sanctuary.

Charlie and Phil had been ecstatic to see them all again, and Morvin was just as happy to be back as well. Nafeesa felt relaxed and at ease in her previous enclosure, so had no problems settling back in either. Overall, everyone was pleased with the decision for them to return.

When Hermione spoke to Charlie about what she wanted to do next, he was only too happy to help in her endeavor, and so the two of them started planning all the details. And that's how Hermione ended up here.

When she was discussing her plans with Charlie she stated that she was looking for a quiet place surrounded by a lot of forestry and land, out of the way from civilization. She needed a large open space for Nafeesa to be able to fly about happily, since of course she would be coming with them. It didn't matter about what country they lived in, as long as she was close to Romania, Britain and Italy, so that their family and friends could visit them easily enough. The size of the house didn't really matter either, it was mainly the land that came with the house that Hermione was mostly concerned about.

And so when it came time to finding a house, Hermione eventually settled on Germany and a city called Altenfeld. It had everything that she was looking for really and much more. The town was small and based in the state of Thuringia, and because of the dense forest covering the land it had gotten the nickname 'the green heart of Germany.'

When she visited the small town and researched the area, Hermione had instantly fell in love with it. The house that had caught her eye was called 'das Herz des Waldes' meaning 'the Heart of the Forest.'

It was situated deep in the forest, away from the busy part of town, surrounded by large grassy lawns and thick green trees. It was perfect for them.

The house itself was two stories high, with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large open spaced kitchen and living area. And what was more appealing to her was the fact that it also had its very own library. The living area, bedrooms, and the library all had beautifully carved fireplaces, and even though neither she nor Morvin required them, they would be good for when all their wizarding friends visited.

One hundred acres of land came with the house, which meant that Hermione and her family would get the privacy they would need, and Nafeesa would have plenty of room to fly and spread her wings. There was a large brick wall bordering the land that she would own, so Hermione could easily cast spells keeping muggles away.

Despite the fact that the cost was a bit more than she was planning on, Charlie used a confounding charm on the estate agent so that he accepted only Hermione's bid. Normally she would have felt incredibly guilty for using magic for personal gain, but in this case Hermione didn't mind at all. She had the house of her dreams and somewhere that Morvin could be happy and settled.

It didn't take long for them to move in and settle down, and once the excitement had faded, Hermione began to teach Morvin all the normal muggle subjects as well as some magical subjects, like a History of Magic, Potions and the various ingredients used.

Morvin thrived under Hermione's tutelage, and was able to absorb and retain all the information that she learned. And just like Hermione, Morvin also had a love for reading. Normally during the night, the two of them would be found huddled together on the couch either reading their own books or discussing the books they were reading together.

Once they had fully settled into their own home visitors often came to stay with them. Charlie and Phil frequented their home often, as well as Marcus, Demetri and Felix. The first time Marcus had come, Hermione and Morvin had been so excited to see him. They had missed him more than anyone else. During his stay he knew not to talk about Aro, who was still a rather touchy subject for Hermione, but that didn't mean that she wasn't curious about him. Often Hermione found herself about to ask Marcus how Aro was, before finally stopping herself and changing the subject.

It was during his first stay at the new house, that Morvin excitedly gave him an eagle. As Dante was back living with them, they wanted Marcus to still be able to contact them and so got Charlie and Phil to pick out a bird. They came back with an eagle for Marcus who he later named Thor.

Albus Dumbledore was also a frequent visitor and stayed for days, sometimes even weeks during the holidays. He brought Remus, who was now teaching Defense against the Dark Arts, and sometimes Dora and Teddy came with them as well. They loved it here, and used the time spent with Hermione as a holiday since they really couldn't afford to go anywhere else.

The last couple of times Dumbledore had visited he had brought Minerva McGonagall along with him. She and Hermione were always close, while Hermione was a student at Hogwarts. So when Dumbledore had written a letter to Hermione, saying that his Deputy Head was always bombarding him with questions about where he was going all the time, and becoming incredibly suspicious of him. He asked if it would be alright with her if she came with him on his next visit.

Hermione was excited about the thought of seeing her favorite Professor again, but asked Dumbledore not to tell her about Morvin. She didn't think Minerva finding out by letter would be such a good idea, and so thought it best that she met Morvin for herself.

The day that Dumbledore and Minerva were due to arrive that first visit, Hermione got the guest rooms prepared, and stocked up on food for them to have. She and Morvin went out hunting so that her former Professor's didn't have to witness that, before adding the final touches to their home.

When the wards alerted Hermione to their presence, she knelt down in front of Morvin and said,

"Remember what I told you sweetie, stay in your room until I come for you."

" _What if she doesn't like me?"_ Morvin asked shyly, causing Hermione to smile sweetly.

Cupping both of her soft cheeks, Hermione gently tilted Morvin's chin so that she could look straight into her eyes.

"Trust me little Mo, she's going to love you. How could she not?" Feeling the wards tingle more urgently, Hermione sighed, and kissed her daughter on the head. "Off you go sweetheart; I promise you won't have to wait long."

With a small smile Morvin skipped upstairs, with Hermione's eyes following her. She waited for a moment, and once she heard her daughter's bedroom door close, she pulled out her wand and let her guests arrive. Walking to the front door she opened it just as the two figures appeared on the front lawn.

Hermione smiled and waved before walking over to them. She hugged Dumbledore tightly and kissed his cheek fondly, before turning her gaze onto Minerva, who had already started to wipe away tears. Smiling broadly, the older witch pulled Hermione in close and hugged her fiercely.

"I have missed you my girl. But I must say you are looking wonderful." Minerva said in her thick Scottish accent. Pushing Hermione away from her gently, she cast her gaze over the younger woman and smiled again. "Incredible." Minerva whispered.

Unable to hide her laughter, Hermione hugged her former Professor once more before beckoning them inside.

"Welcome to my home Minerva I am so pleased to have you here. And I apologize for keeping Albus away from you and the school. I honestly don't know what I would have done without him though." Hermione said honestly, a small smile curving her lips.

Minerva was no fool, she could see the love and affection shining from both Hermione and Albus, and knew instantly that something must have happened over the years for them to have built such a strong relationship together. But despite her curiosity she would not pry, she would simply wait and see if they included her in on the goings on.

"I'm glad you had Albus my dear, but don't forget you also have me too." Minerva said squeezing Hermione's hand gently.

Smiling warmly at the other woman, Hermione could feel some of the tension leave her at Minerva's words, tension she hadn't known she was feeling until then.

"Thank you Minerva, that means a lot to me." Sighing gently, trying to regroup her emotions, Hermione gave Minerva a quick tour of the ground floor of her home.

"It's very nice Hermione, very you." Minerva said with a slight quirk of her lips.

"I guess that's why I fell in love with the place." Hermione agreed. "Let me show you to your room."

Walking up the stairs with only Minerva following behind her, as Albus had already vanished his bags into his usual room, he sat in the comfortable chair and closed his eyes for a moment, glad to be back here once again. He had missed his girls terribly and wished that they would come to Hogwarts and see everyone. But knew that wouldn't happen anytime soon. Severus was still in a foul mood when it came to the subject of Hermione, and she was still trying to pretend that nothing was going on. Sooner or later however, the Headmaster knew that the two of them would have to face each other again eventually. Sighing wearily, he watched as the two women descended the stairs amongst laughter and chatter as they caught up with each other. At the sight of them, he let a small smile grace his lips. Perhaps Minerva could persuade Hermione to visit them in Hogwarts one day, since he knew that she was better at that sort of thing than what he was.

"And also the kitchen is fully stocked so help yourself to whatever you want." Hermione finished sitting on the large comfortable couch beside Minerva.

"I must say my dear you have done incredibly well for yourself. And as your former Head of House I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm very proud of you, you always were one of my favorite students." Minerva admitted, before Hermione had the chance to say anything in reply, Minerva quickly began to speak again. "And what's this I hear about you fighting vampires and riding dragons. Really I thought you had enough excitement already during your time at Hogwarts." Minerva teased.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at her former Professor's words.

"I thought so too Minerva but obviously excitement has a way of following me around." She laughed. "As for the dragon, Nafeesa is my friend and familiar, currently she's somewhere on the land hunting, but she should be back soon."

At her words the color seemed to drain from Minerva's face instantly, causing Dumbledore to chuckle at her reaction.

"T-the dragon's here." Minerva stammered.

Hermione laughed again before nodding her head.

"Of course, I couldn't leave her at the Dragon Sanctuary, she belongs here with me and-" She had to stop herself quickly from mentioning Morvin, so tried to cover her error by saying, "And that's why I went for this house, because of all the land that came with it." Flicking her graze briefly towards Dumbledore, Hermione noticed the slight nod of his head, to say that she had covered her mistake well.

Placing her hand on her chest a dazed Minerva said,

"Well, I'm not sure my poor heart can stand seeing her. No offence my dear girl but I remember seeing her that first time at the Triwizard Tournament, and she scared the life out of me then. I don't doubt it'll be the same again."

Hermione put her hand gently on Minerva's and gave it an understanding squeeze,

"We won't be offended honestly. I know she can be quite intimidating to look at, but once you get to know her better she's actually a big pussycat."

Minerva couldn't help but let out the very unladylike snort.

"A pussycat you say. My dear girl, I am a pussycat, she is more like a tigress." Minerva snorted again before shaking her head lightly. "Pussycat indeed." Turning her attention back to Hermione, the older witch raised her eyebrow and said, "What other things have you got to tell me? May as well get it all over with now, before my poor little heart can't take anymore shocks."

Looking from Minerva too Dumbledore, Hermione knew this was her chance. She wasn't afraid of telling her about Morvin, it was the reaction of her former Professor that she was worried about. Hermione knew that Morvin being an immortal child would still not sit well with most vampires, and possibly even with the wizarding world. They could see her as a threat, because immortal children were seen as being unreliable and unpredictable, therefore making her a danger to them and a risk of exposure to their kind. Hermione knew that the more people who knew of Morvin, the more danger she could be in. That's why she was so reluctant to go back to Hogwarts, amongst other reasons. Hermione could remember the reaction the wizarding world had towards her, she didn't want that to happen to her daughter as well. Despite her fears, Hermione also knew that the people who cared about her, would also care for her daughter. Or at least that's what she was hoping anyway.

Lost in her thoughts, Hermione didn't see Minerva exchange a worried glance with Dumbledore. It wasn't until the older witch placed her hand on top of Hermione's and spoke softly to her, that she finally drew her attention back.

"Hermione dear, is everything alright? You were lost in your own wee world there." Minerva said, worry clearly etched on her face.

Hermione sighed, before smiling gratefully at the other woman. Nodding her head gently she said,

"I'm fine Minerva, but there is something I need to tell you. Something important."

"Go ahead." Minerva said encouragingly.

Sighing deeply again Hermione began her story by saying,

"Ok please just let me tell you everything before you say anything." She paused as Minerva nodded her head in agreement. "I have a daughter." Hermione whispered gently, getting straight to the point, as she watched Minerva's reaction. At first she looked surprised, then confused, then elated, then confused once more. Trying not to laugh Hermione cast a silencing charm on the room, not wanting Morvin to hear the conversation, before she began to tell the story of how Morvin became a part of her life. Minerva listened intently to the story, gasping in shock at some of the things she was hearing, clutching her chest and muffling sobs, and then smiling at the happier times. When Hermione had finished the three of them sat in silence, as Minerva absorbed everything she had just heard.

"That poor poor child." She whispered solemnly, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "What she must have gone through. It's awful, truly truly awful." Taking a deep shuddering breath, Minerva's gaze turned to Dumbledore, her eyes softening at the old wizard. "And you helped take that pain away from her. You really are a good man Albus Dumbledore." She said with a small amount of pride in her voice, causing his cheeks to flame red. "And you." She said suddenly turning towards Hermione. "I was proud of you before, but now I can't put into words, just how amazing and wonderful I think you are Hermione. Morvin is so lucky to have you in her life."

Hermione shook her head and whispered,

"I'm the lucky one Minerva, Morvin, she's amazing. I never thought I would ever get the chance to be a mother, but now that I am it's the best thing in the world. She's everything to me."

Minerva smiled warmly and brushed her tears away, before taking a deep calming breath.

"So when do I get to meet this little ray of sunshine?" She asked smiling.

Hermione smiled at the term of endearment used, before standing to her feet and cancelling the silencing charm.

"I'll go upstairs and get her now, she's been waiting to meet you."

While Hermione was upstairs Dumbledore looked at Minerva and smiled.

"She truly is a wonder you know."

Minerva laughed.

"I bet she is, so this is where you've been coming too then."

Dumbledore looked sheepish and nodded.

"Yes, and I'm sorry I couldn't tell you but I promised Hermione and Morvin. It's their story to tell not mine."

Minerva patted his hand reassuringly and smiled at him.

"I know Albus, and I don't hold it against you. I can see how much they mean to you."

Dumbledore smiled warmly, getting a faraway look in his eyes before sighing contently.

"They mean a lot to me Minnie, Hermione she's become like a daughter to me. And Morvin she's like my Granddaughter. Do you know she actually calls me Grandpa Dumbledore? I never thought I would be anyone's Grandpa." He said chuckling.

Minerva knew how much that meant to Dumbledore, and tried her hardest to stifle another happy sob. Everything she had been thinking before this trip was completely torn to shreds. The reality of her trip so far surpassed her expectations and really she couldn't be happier for the two of them.

Hearing Hermione come downstairs with a nervous child clinging to her, Minerva gasped as she laid eyes on Morvin for the first time. She was beautiful, almost like a little doll, but it was her brown curly hair that really drew her attention. It made the little girl look so much like Hermione and if she didn't know any better, she would have thought Morvin was Hermione's biological child.

"Hello Morvin, I'm Minerva or Minnie as some people like to call me. I was your mother's former Professor and now I'm her friend. You are such a beautiful little girl." Minerva said with a soft voice.

Morvin held on to Hermione, feeling a little unsure at the moment, even though the older woman looked nice and relatively harmless. She turned to Dumbledore and grinned broadly before running into his arms and hugging him tightly, without realizing her strength.

Seeing his face turn red and hearing the air escape his lungs, Hermione tapped her daughter's shoulder and said,

"Morvin not so tightly remember."

Pulling away looking sheepishly at her Grandpa, Morvin slackened her hold on the poor man and gave him a small smile.

" _Sorry Grandpa Dumbledore but I've missed you so much."_

Once he could breathe again, Dumbledore chuckled and kissed her cold forehead lovingly.

"It's quite alright my dear girl. I've missed you too. And if it's alright with your mother I came baring gifts for you." At this Morvin's eyes widened with excitement, as she turned to her mother and said,

" _Is it alright mother?"_

Looking at Dumbledore with a knowing smirk, she shook her head at him only for him to smile winningly back at her. He knew that he indulged his adopted Granddaughter too much, but who could blame him really. As her Grandpa he was entitled to spoil her as much as he wanted, and he told Hermione that during their last argument about the subject.

"It's fine but remember to say thank you to Grandpa Dumbledore." Hermione said to Morvin, who really didn't need to be told. She was always so grateful and thankful for every little thing that was bestowed on her, that not only was Hermione proud of her but it also made her sad that Morvin had never had much experience of getting presents or kind attention before. She had been starved of affection for a long time, and was now humble and grateful whenever she received it.

Turning her excited eyes towards her Grandpa, Morvin said,

" _Mother said it was alright. Thank you so much for my gift Grandpa Dumbledore."_

He chuckled at her small eager voice in his head, before dipping his hand into his robe pocket and pulling out a small box. Sitting it on the table beside him, he pulled out his wand and enlarged it.

Morvin's eyes widened even further at his display of magic. She couldn't help but feel awed every time she saw magic being performed, because it was just that to her, simply magic.

" _Thank you so much, may I open it."_ She asked even more excited.

Dumbledore nodded his head, before Morvin slipped off his lap and carefully opened the lid of the box. Gently moving the paper aside, she picked up a large book and heard her mother begin to laugh with happiness.

"Honestly Albus." Hermione said, trying to stop herself from bursting into full blown laughter.

Dumbledore turned an amused gaze to Hermione and smiled innocently at her.

"Since she is your daughter I thought she might appreciate this. Especially since it is the new edition, featuring her very own mother in it."

Now it was Hermione's eyes to widen, as her gaze once again looked down at the book Morvin was holding. Perhaps her daughter would let her read it too, she wondered.

As if sensing her thoughts, Dumbledore chuckled again drawing Hermione's attention to him. Once more he pulled out a small package from his pocket, before enlarging it and holding it out to Hermione.

"You didn't think that I had forgotten about you, did you?" He smirked.

Feeling the childish giddy excitement build up inside of her, Hermione leaped up from her chair and engulfed Dumbledore in a tight hug, once again causing the air to leave his lungs.

"Thank you so much Albus, I love it." Kissing his cheek, she pulled away from him before realizing her error. "Oh my god I'm so sorry." She said, seeing how red the wizard's face was.

"It's…" He coughed. "Quite alright." He said on another cough, trying to get the air back into his lungs, as Minerva sat chuckling beside him.

Morvin who watched the whole encounter with fascination, turned a curious gaze towards the older witch, who caught her glance.

"This was your mother's favorite book when she was a student at Hogwarts." Minerva said as if answering the young girl's unspoken question. "She only read it every day since coming there. But this is 'Hogwarts: A History the New Edition.' If she's anything like she was before, then that will be devoured pretty quickly." She chuckled.

Hermione had already begun leafing through the book while Minerva was speaking. Reluctantly she placed the book down on the table and fought the temptation to start reading. She would have plenty of time for that later.

"There's something else in the box for you my dear." Dumbledore said, fully recovered after his second assault. "This gift is from Minerva."

Morvin went back to the box and removed another piece of tissue paper before pulling out the most beautiful red dress, with a pair of gold shoes and a red and gold ribbon for her hair. She gasped at the sheer beauty of it, and turned her stunned gaze towards the older witch.

" _Is this really for me?"_ She asked, looking back down at the exquisite material in her hands. She had never owned something as beautiful as this before.

Minerva smiled thoughtfully at the little girl after hearing her small voice in her head, knowing that the dress wasn't really from her, as she hadn't known about the little girl before arriving. But she wasn't about to admit to that, since Dumbledore was obviously trying to form some kind of relationship between the two of them.

"Yes it's for you dear, I thought a beautiful girl deserved a beautiful dress to wear."

Smiling brightly, Morvin flung herself at Minerva and squeezed her tightly, causing the air to leave her lungs as well.

" _Thank you, thank you, thank you."_ The little voice squealed with sheer delight. _"May I go and put it on?"_

Finally, being released from the small girl's powerful grip, Minerva clutched at her chest and took deep breaths as she tried to recover. Sitting across from her, she heard Dumbledore chuckle, so sent a glare towards him.

"Now you know what it's like Minnie." He whispered.

Frowning at the mischievous old coot, she turned to Hermione and repeated Morvin's question.

"You can go and put it on, but do not get it dirty." Hermione warned. Not needing to say anything more, as she watched her daughter gently pick up the shoes, dress and bow, before running up the stairs in a blur using her vampire speed. "Thank you so much for the gifts, I love them." Hermione said once her daughter had vanished.

"And I love seeing that look of childish joy on her face, so sweet and innocent." Dumbledore said warmly.

"She is a lovely wee lass Hermione." Minerva added.

After their first joint visit that only lasted the weekend, Morvin quickly warmed to Minerva. And once she was completely relaxed in the older witches' presence she soon started calling her Grandma Minnie, much to Minerva's delight.

Morvin learned of Minerva's skill as an animagus and was delighted every time she changed into her cat form. Somehow Morvin even managed to persuade Minerva to meet Nafeesa, and although she was completely and utterly terrified of the rather large dangerous dragon, she couldn't help but find Nafeesa charming in a way. After a while she relaxed around Nafeesa, and even played with the dragon and Morvin in her cat form, while a laughing Hermione and a chuckling Dumbledore watched on.

Despite the frequent visits of their growing family however, Hermione couldn't help but feel lonely at times. Despite the fact that she loved her daughter so much, and despite the fact that she was glad of the privacy they had, Hermione missed the hustle and bustle of seeing adults on a daily basis. Something was missing in her life and even though she tried to push that feeling away, it always managed to slip back into her mind.

* * *

 **Present Time**

Even now, sitting out in the garden with her feet propped up in front of her and the open letter lying on the table beside her, she could feel that same feeling of loneliness seep into her. She missed Hogwarts and she missed the Palazzo, and all the friends she had made. Four years had now passed since she had left Volterra, and using the excuse of not wanting to see Aro or Severus anymore, was null and void. So what was really stopping her she didn't know?

She looked up into the sky as a dark shadow flew over her and smiled as Nafeesa prepared to land. Sitting up straighter she picked up the letter and read it once more, finally making her decision. She would speak to Morvin and see what she thought.

Hermione grinned as an excited Morvin came bounding towards her, running straight into her loving embrace.

"Mother did you see me flying Nafeesa." Morvin `said excitedly.

Hermione laughed and tucked a piece of her windswept hair back behind her ears.

"I did sweetheart and you were great. Did you have fun with Nafeesa?" She asked, although she already knew the answer to that question.

"Yes it was amazing. Can I do it again later?" She asked, bouncing on Hermione's knee with excitement.

Hermione frowned and shook her head in the negative, and seeing the look of disappointment cross over her daughter's face, she took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"I'm sorry sweetie but you see we might have other plans later on."

At this news Morvin's eyes widened with excitement.

"What plans?" She asked.

"Well today I received a letter from Grandpa Dumbledore and Grandma Minnie. And sadly they can't make their trip to see us this summer." The letter didn't say much except that due to some special circumstances they wouldn't be able to travel to see them this year, without giving any reasons as to why. Hermione found this rather unusual, but couldn't say anything to Morvin, in case she worried her. "So I was wondering, how would you feel if we took a surprise trip to see them instead."

The look of disappointment instantly vanished from Morvin's face as understanding and excitement took over.

"Go to see them at Hogwarts?" She exclaimed with sheer delight.

"Yes." Hermione answered, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Yes, when can we go? Will I pack now? Should I take Hogwarts: a history with me? What should I wear? Oh mother I can't wait to see the school and all the magic things I read about." Suddenly Morvin frowned then said, "But if we go to Hogwarts we won't be here to see Grandfather."

Hermione sighed, feeling guilty that she wouldn't be able to see her father for a little while longer. But unlike Dumbledore and Minerva who had time restraints due to working at the school, Marcus didn't have any such problems. So they could easily re-arrange their visit for a later date.

"Well we could always write to him and let him know we won't be here. We can ask him to visit us in a couple of months' time. I'm sure he won't mind too much."

Morvin hesitated a moment then asked,

"Ok but can I write to him?"

Hermione smiled and kissed her daughter's head lovingly.

"Of course sweetheart. How about we go and write to Grandfather first, then once we send Dante away with the letter, we can pack and go hunting with Nafeesa before leaving."

Morvin's smile brightened with that suggestion, as she took her mother's hand and dragged her into the house to start writing her letter. The sooner they got everything done, the sooner she could finally go and see Hogwarts, the place she had been wanting to visit for years.

Even though Hermione looked excited for her daughter, she couldn't help but worry about how Severus would react towards her, especially since he didn't know about Morvin yet. Chewing her bottom lip nervously, while she watched her daughter write, Hermione couldn't stop herself from getting worked up. She hoped that this was the right decision, for Morvin's sake more than her own.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The three Volturi leaders were sitting in their shared office, reading in silence. The past four years had been relatively uneventful for them to say the least. After the battle with the Romanians, there enemy had been taken out and those who once feared and loathed the Volturi, now feared and respected them. Especially since they knew what Hermione was capable of. The odd law breaker still popped up once in a little while, and was dealt with according to Volturi law. But they were few and far between now.

It seemed that the world of vampires was finally at peace, and that was all thanks to Hermione.

It had been four years since Aro had let Hermione go, four long lonely years since he had last seen her face or heard her voice. Not having her near him started off as a dull ache in his chest, but as the years went by it slowly turned into an agonizing pain. He missed her terribly and not a day went by that he didn't think of her. He longed for her and would have done anything for just one glance of her perfect face, or to just hear the sound of her voice or laughter one more time. But he had promised himself that he would let her go, and if she felt for him the way that he felt for her, then she would return to him eventually. So far she showed no signs of returning, but he couldn't give up hope. Not yet anyway.

Aro knew that Marcus, Demetri and Felix still met up with Hermione and Morvin occasionally. They had been keeping him up to date with what she was doing and where she was going, but they wouldn't go into too much personal details about her, out of respect for him. He found that he was both grateful and frustrated by this. He wanted to know every little detail about her, he wanted to know everything she was doing, everywhere she was going, and every one she was seeing. He wanted, no he needed to know it all. But at the same time the thought of knowing she was happy living away from him, pained him more than anything else did.

The one thing he was eternally grateful for knowing however, was that she stayed away from the wizarding world and the dark wizard, just as much as she stayed away from him and Volterra. This fact helped ease the pain a little. It meant that she had not chosen the dark wizard over him, and from what he had heard from Marcus in the past, she had no intention of seeing the wizard again any time soon.

Well that was until on this fateful day a letter arrived for Marcus.

The three of them were sitting reading in silence when Dante, Hermione's raven came swooping into the room. He circled above their heads for a moment before landing onto Marcus's shoulder.

Ever since Hermione had gotten him Thor, Marcus had got into the habit of keeping bird treats close by. So bending down next to his chair he pulled out a nice tasty mouse for the raven, after taking the letter from him. A grateful Dante, pecked Marcus's hand affectionately before flying over to sit beside Thor and eat his treat.

Aro watched enviously as Marcus carefully opened the letter, smiling fondly at seeing Morvin's familiar handwriting. He read the letter quickly, laughing at everything she had been up to lately, it seemed she was giving Hermione quite a run at the moment.

As Marcus read on, Aro watched as the smile on his face began to fade into a look of disappointment, and then turn to a look of concern that was directed his way. Curious, Aro wondered what could possibly be written that would cause such a range of emotions to be displayed. Luckily he didn't need to wait long to find out as Caius suddenly asked,

"Marcus is everything alright with Hermione and Morvin?" While Hermione had been recovering after the battle, Caius and Aro both got to know the little girl better. They had spent much time with her, since she was always in Marcus's company, and could understand why he was so enamored with her. Although Aro would never admit it, he too cared for the little girl, how could he not when she was a part of Hermione.

"What, oh yes everything is fine brother. Morvin and Hermione are doing great, she is keeping Hermione on her toes as usual however." He said with slight chuckle. His granddaughter could be a handful at times, he knew that from experience, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Then why the look of disappointment?" Caius asked curiously.

Marcus glanced warily at Aro then to the letter, then back towards Caius.

"It's nothing really. It's just that I won't be able to visit them as soon as I thought I would. That's all."

Caius raised an eyebrow at his brother, and then saw the slight shake of Marcus's head, advising him not to ask any more questions on the subject. Unfortunately, Aro also seen the look pass between his brothers and sighed wearily.

"Honestly brother, do not feel the need to hide anything from me. I am not made of glass and I promise I won't break. Whatever has been said just tell Caius, it won't bother me." He said, glancing back down to read his book, despite the fact that he was just as eager to know what was going on as his brother Caius was.

Marcus sighed knowing that despite Aro's words, he would not like what was written in the letter. But well, he did appear interested and so he knew that he couldn't hide it from him. So reluctantly Marcus said,

"Morvin has written that they will be going to stay at Hogwarts for a couple of weeks. Apparently Albus wrote to them saying he couldn't make it, and so Hermione decided it might be best to surprise them instead." Marcus turned thoughtful eyes to Aro and whispered, "I am sorry brother." Understanding what would be going through his mind.

"That's fine, there's no need to be sorry brother." Aro said in a calm collected voice.

Even though he looked composed and uninterested on the outside, inside Aro was reeling at the stab of pain and jealousy he suddenly felt at hearing the news.

Hermione was going back to the wizarding world, back to Hogwarts where he knew the dark wizard would be. Did that mean she was choosing him? Was it just an innocent visit like it sounded? He hated not knowing.

He could feel the eyes of both his brothers scrutinizing him, waiting for some kind of reaction from him, but he wouldn't give them one. Just because she was going back to Hogwarts didn't mean anything.

But still, the urge to do something to remind her that he was still there, that he was still waiting for her, overcame him. He had given her time, had given her space and now he felt that he couldn't sit about doing nothing any longer. He had to do some thinking about the matter, but not while he was being stared at by his concerned brothers.

Closing the book carefully, he placed it on the small table next to his chair and rose to his feet.

"If you'll excuse me, I have something I need to do." And with that Aro turned on his heels and left. But not before hearing Caius ask Marcus if he should go after him to make sure that he was alright. Aro didn't hear Marcus's reply, but since no-one came out after him, he gathered that his reply had been to leave him alone.

Once back in his quarters, Aro began to pace up and down, his mind deep in thought. He had to do something for Hermione, something that reminded her that he was still there. Something that reminded her of how he felt about her. Something that was simple, that she would appreciate, but without being too much. But what? What could he possibly do for her?

Aro suddenly stopped his pacing as his gaze landed on something in his room, something he hadn't thought about in a long time. Something that he knew Hermione would love.

As he walked over to it, a smile graced his lips. Yes, this was perfect for what he needed to do. And so he set about preparing her gift. He would send it to her as soon as possible, a small reminder that Aro Volturi would not be so easily forgotten.

* * *

Hermione and Morvin had packed up everything they would need for their trip to Hogwarts, into Hermione's trusted beaded bag that now had a lot of wear to it. Despite the fact it now looked used and worn she just couldn't find the heart to get rid of it. Once they were packed and ready to go, Hermione cast heavy wards and spells over the house and grounds before they set off immediately.

Although they didn't fly directly over London, the minute they had crossed the English Channel, Hermione could feel the magical pull coming from the City Center. Her whole body seemed to spark with power as she felt drawn to the heart of magical Britain. This feeling only flamed her nerves further. Was returning back to Hogwarts and the wizarding world the right thing to do, after spending so much time away? Only time would be able to answer that question.

They made one stop at the Peak District National Park for Nafeesa to rest and for all three of them to feed before carrying on towards Scotland and towards Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

It had been such a long time since she had last seen the castle that Hermione began to feel the butterflies flutter in her stomach the closer they got. The nervous feeling she had before, began to slowly grow into excitement, as she couldn't wait to return to the place that she had once called her home.

The only thing Hermione hadn't given any real thought too was whether the school was still in term or not. The last thing she wanted to do was show up at a school that was still in session with a large and intimidating dragon. Somehow she didn't think that would go down very well. So she made the quick decision to land in the Forbidden Forest instead.

Just like before, the magic from Hogwarts called to her. Even though they had landed deep in the heart of the Forbidden Forest, the magic that surrounded the area was still intense. The moment Nafeesa had landed them safely on the ground, Hermione was instantly overcome by the feeling of being home. She had missed the school much more than she thought she had.

The forest was dark and thick, so they couldn't see the silhouette of the school in the distance, much to Morvin's disappointment.

"Why couldn't we just fly to the school? Why did we have to come here first?" Morvin huffed, not liking the feeling of the forest at all.

Hermione helped Morvin climb off Nafeesa before helping her up onto her back. Even though she wasn't scared of the Forbidden Forest as she had been as a student, Hermione knew of the dangers that still lurked here. She could sense the presence of creatures all around them, not knowing if they were a threat or not, but not wanting to take the chance. She needed to make sure that both Nafeesa and her daughter were safe, and she always felt more reassured when Morvin was close to her.

Nafeesa could also sense danger lurking around, as she had also moved closer to Hermione and Morvin ready to strike and protect them if need be.

"Students are at the school at the moment little Mo. I didn't think it would be a good idea showing up with Nafeesa, who they might see as being dangerous."

Morvin frowned and turned her gaze towards Nafeesa.

"But she's not dangerous or scary, she's beautiful and fun." She said earning a lick to the face from Nafeesa.

Hermione chuckled and shook her head.

"I know that, and you know that, but the students who have never seen a dragon before don't know that. Trust me sweetie it's for the best."

They began to make their way through the forest and towards the castle, when an arrow came flying through the air towards them. Hearing the whooshing sound it made, and seeing it with her enhanced sight, Hermione easily caught it in her hand, snapping it in half before letting it fall to the ground.

Morvin screamed when she saw it, and hid her face in Hermione's neck. While Nafeesa let out a warning growl. Hermione wasn't fazed by the incident however. She had seen something similar happen before the night she and Harry had lured Dolores Umbridge into the forest before going off to the Ministry. The night that had completely changed her life.

"We come in peace." Hermione called out to the darkness, her voice strong and commanding sounding. "We have come here to land safely before making our way to the school. My name is Hermione Granger and we mean you no harm."

A rustling noise could be heard followed by the noise of several hoofed feet walking over the ground towards them.

"We know all about you Hermione Granger." A voice replied.

Walking out of the shadows of the forest was a beautiful centaur with long dark brown hair, chestnut colored skin and a bow and arrow in his hands. He was followed closely by five other centaurs, all with beautiful silvery white skin and long hair.

Hermione guessed that the one who spoke was the leader, and although he seemed familiar to her, she could not remember his name or why she could remember seeing him.

She could however, remember reading all about the customs of greeting a centaur in books she had found in the library of Hogwarts. The most important thing to do when confronted by one, was to show your respect and submission, so that they know you aren't a threat. So she slowly closed her eyes and bowed down to the group in front of her.

"There is no need for you to bow to us Hermione Granger, half witch half vampire. We have been waiting for you to return for a long time." The leader said, moving closer towards her, his bow and arrow no longer pointed at her. "We did not expect you to return with a dragon and a vampire child however."

At his words Hermione straightened herself up and looked towards the leader.

"What is your name leader of the centaurs?" She asked in a calm voice.

He laughed at her and bowed his head in return.

"Forgive my manners Hermione Granger, my name is Magorian. The last time we had the pleasure of your company, you had brought that rude insulting witch into our home." He said with a soft chuckle. At the time he had been infuriated by the situation but time they say is a healer.

Hermione could remember that night as if it was yesterday. Dolores Umbridge had been ghastly towards the centaurs and had insulted everything about them. Not only that but she had cast spells at them, tying one up and choking him with rope.

"I do apologize about that night Magorian, but I had no other option at the time." Hermione said hoping they would understand.

"We know Hermione Granger. Please let me introduce you to my tribe. This is Ronan, Bane, Aarav, Damari and Soren, my eldest son. Ronan and Bane you have already met."

When each of the centaurs were introduced to her, they bowed their heads out of respect.

"This is my daughter Morvin and my dragon Nafeesa, I am her rider and she is an alpha."

Magorian looked to Morvin then to Nafeesa and smiled politely at them.

"It is both an honor and a pleasure to meet you, family of Hermione Granger. Please come with us and meet our families, they are looking forward to meeting the great Hermione Granger."

Hermione followed the centaurs cautiously into the forest. The way that they were behaving went against everything she had ever read or known about them. Normally they did not like humans or those who trespassed into their territory. But here they were being respectful and welcoming. She had expected them to put up a fight or to maybe even be hostile towards them.

As if reading her mind Magorian suddenly said,

"I know what you are thinking Hermione Granger but you are different. No longer are you human, you are a hybrid in the magical world made of two powerful beings, a witch and a vampire. There is so much power surrounding your aura but you have no dark, only light and a need to protect that which you love the most. We centaurs can relate to that. People think we are animals, and a danger but we protect what is ours, our land, our families, and our allies." He turned his head towards her and smiled. "Which you are."

She looked at him curiously and tilted her head in defiance,

"Excuse my rudeness but how do you know I am an ally and not an enemy?"

Magorian must have found something in her statement to be hilarious, as he suddenly began to laugh heartily at her.

"Please Hermione Granger, no more jokes." Sobering up, he looked at her and then up at the sky. "It all happened on the night you brought that vile woman to us. That night something in the stars changed, the night you changed." He said looking back at Hermione who simply nodded her head in return. How could she ever forget that night? "You were never meant to be a vampire, but something in the fates changed for you that night, which we are all glad of. Anyway, the day that woman made the prophecy about you, the day you had your vision, the stars once again changed again. My people could not believe it, we were astounded as none of us had ever witnessed such a thing before. Although we don't know what you saw exactly, we know what that vision brought for all of us. Peace, a better future without fear or danger, a safe home to live in and bring up our young. We know what the Dark Lord was planning for us, we had heard all about it, but you stopped that from happening. Plus, you also killed the wolves who threatened us. You saved my people and your own and for that we are eternally grateful. For that we see you as our ally and not our enemy. The name Hermione Granger is spoken with pride and reverence in our world."

Hermione looked at him feeling completely dumfounded. She had no idea that the end of the war would have such a big impact on the centaurs as well. But clearly it had.

"I-I don't know what to say. Thank you for your kind words."

Once again Magorian began to laugh.

"No need to thank us, for it is us who needs to thank you. We do not give our loyalty freely Hermione Granger, but to you we do."

For the first time in a long time Hermione found herself to be speechless, what could she possibly say to that?

Eventually once she was able to find her voice, Hermione said,

"I feel incredibly honored by that Magorian, thank you. And let me say that should you need me for anything, you have my loyalty as well. And that of my dragon Nafeesa." Magorian smiled down at her and nodded his head in agreement. "But how can you trust us not to attack, how can we trust you either for that matter?" Hermione asked.

"And that is why you are our ally and friend." Magorian said, not sounding at all insulted by her question. "You are open, honest and never stop asking questions, which you are right to ask, after all you have your family to protect just as we do." His gaze flickered over to Morvin, who was still holding tightly onto Hermione as if she depended on it, and Nafeesa who stood protectively over her non-human and child. Even if the centaurs wanted to attack Hermione and her family, they wouldn't win against that battle. They were not stupid or naïve to think otherwise. "I would like for you to show me the vision that you saw, the one of what would have been if you had not been changed. There are some questions that I myself would like answered."

Hermione looked at Magorian for a moment, studying his face but saw nothing but sincerity in his look.

"Very well then, I will show you everything that I saw that day. But trust me you may not like it."

Hermione of course was talking about the treatment of Firenze, a centaur who had been banished from Magorian's tribe for fraternizing with the enemy, or rather with humans. It all came to a head when Dumbledore had offered him safety and shelter at Hogwarts after giving him a job alongside Professor Trelawney teaching Divination. He was seen as a traitor to his people, and was told never to return.

"I understand." Magorian whispered quietly beside her, his head bent low. He too knew of what Hermione was talking about.

For a long time centaurs found humans to be greedy, evil beings, a point that was proven by that vile woman Umbridge, the Dark Lord and his minions. But since then things had changed. They saw humans differently now and wondered if they had made a terrible mistake, not just against them but Firenze as well. But Magorian needed to see the vision first, he needed to see if what he believed was the truth, with his own eyes. And to do that he needed Hermione's help.

Walking deeper into the Forbidden Forest they happened on some caves in the side of the mountains. Pulling out a large horn that was strapped across his chest, Magorian blew it once, announcing their arrival.

Hermione watched in fascination as wary centaurs began to appear from inside the cave, they were the mates and young of the males who had been escorting them. Hermione was completely stunned as she watched them making their way towards them.

After everything she had read about the centaurs she never thought she would ever be this close to the females or the young, who were always hidden away and protected. Centaurs always kept to themselves and hardly ever invited anyone into their family fold in fear of attack. But here she stood feeling incredibly privileged by the sight that surrounded her.

Magorian stepped forward and faced the newcomers, his presence both commanding and reassuring to them.

"My people, it gives me great honor to welcome Hermione Granger to our home. Please make her and her family feel welcome, and let's celebrate their arrival."

Hermione was quickly introduced to all the females and their young. There was Bronwyn who was the mate of Magorian, and mother to Soren, Titus and Nola, who Morvin quickly befriended. Then there was Ronan's mate Deja and their son Talan. Then there was Bane's mate Finola and their daughter Lexi. Aarav and his mate Kailani with their daughter Hadlee and finally there was Damari with his mate Nayeli and their son Vikaran.

The only member of the colony who wasn't yet married was Soren. Although he was a fighter along with his father, he was not yet of age to find a mate and produce offspring. When the time came they would have to travel deeper into the forbidden forest to meet up with the other two tribes for Soren to find a potential mate.

Just like with humans he would have to perform certain rituals when he found his true mate and prove that he was worthy of her to those who were in her tribe. Then they would celebrate before moving back to their own territory.

After being welcomed to their home, the males of the group lit fires while the females collected food and water for them to share. The young went and played, never straying far from the adult's sight. Morvin had been scared and nervous at first but after seeing the young members of the group, she quickly made friends with Nola, who was both the youngest and the most playful one of them all.

Bronwyn took Hermione under her care and sat and pleated her long curly hair, adding flowers into it. This was a custom the females did whenever they celebrated.

Once her hair was done, Bronwyn took her to their water pool and let Hermione bathe before she changed her clothes into a white dress that she had in her beaded bag. Once she was ready Hermione joined the others at the fires and listened to them sing songs of their history and their own unique magic. It was beautiful and Hermione had never heard anything quite like it before.

After the singing Hermione drank wine with them, but couldn't eat the foods that they laid out for the feast. Instead they had drained the blood of the animal they had caught and served her and Morvin a goblet full each, which they happily drank. The carcass of the animal was given to Nafeesa who happily sat and ate it. She too was enjoying the festivities of the evening.

As the night grew later, Magorian finally came over to her.

"I hope you are enjoying yourself Hermione Granger. It's not every day we get to entertain visitors."

She turned to him and smiled gratefully.

"Thank you Magorian and to your people. I never expected this when I came back to Hogwarts. It's amazing and I feel completely awed. Your people are wonderful." She said with a smile as Morvin's laughter rang through the air.

"Will you show me now?" Magorian asked, with his head bent low.

Hermione turned to him, immediately knowing what he was wanting.

"Yes. Turn around and face me, you might have to go to your knees though as you're too tall for me." She said, hoping that he wasn't offended, which luckily for her he wasn't. Complying with her wish, Magorian turned to face her and dropped onto his front knees. "Good, now look into my eyes and try not to break eye contact."

Fixing their gazes onto one another, Hermione sighed deeply before delving into Magorian's mind. She didn't look into his thoughts but instead projected the vision she had all those years ago into his mind, showing him what should have been if she had not changed.

Once it was over with Magorian looked away, his head bent low as he panted heavily, trying to catch his breath. Getting to his feet he turned and faced his people, who had been watching them with curiosity.

"I saw it all, what should have been before the fates and stars changed. And it is much worse than we feared. The Dark Lord and his army would have trampled our homes, killed our families and tried to make us join the dark. The battle would have taken place at the school and many people would have been slaughtered. Including their young." At this the females gasped and grew protective over their own young. Despite the fact that they did not trust or like humans, the one thing they would never do was hurt the human children. In their world offspring were seen as being sacred. They needed to be nurtured and protected. So the thought of someone so dark, willing to kill the students of the school was appalling to them. It took someone with real darkness, someone who was truly evil to do something so wrong and despicable. "Firenze was right my friends. He knew what we didn't and for that we should all feel ashamed."

At his words they all bowed their head in sorrow, knowing they had done wrong to their fellow comrade.

"What do you wish for us to do Magorian?" Ronan asked. He and Bane had treated Firenze worse than anyone else. They had trampled him after he had been banished from the tribe almost taking his life. They would have succeeded if it hadn't been for the half giant Hagrid. They had all turned their backs on Firenze believing he was a traitor. But all the time he knew that in order for them to survive, they would have to fight in the battle and choose a side. The side of light.

Magorian began to pace before turning to his comrades once again,

"We must make peace with the school and with Firenze. And although we will never submit our will and align ourselves with the wizarding world completely, we will show our allegiance to Hogwarts and to Hermione Granger. For she is the pinnacle of light. She saved our world and for that we owe her our lives."

Centaurs were stubborn beings and full of pride. They saw themselves as being free and independent and would never bow to the will of the Ministry and to people like that Umbridge woman who had no respect for them. But Hogwarts had always provided them with a home and shelter. Dumbledore and Hagrid had always shown them the respect that they felt they deserved. And Hermione, she had shown them more than that. She had saved them from the Dark Lord's clutches.

"What say you all?" Magorian asked.

The whole tribe seemed to go quiet, before finally Aarav began to stamp his front feet into the ground like a drum. Once he started all the other males followed until it sounded like thunder was rolling in.

Hermione could feel the excitement build within her at the sight and sound before her, and almost squealed in delight when all of the males rose onto their hind legs. Magorian blew his horn while the others roared. It seemed that they were all in agreement. The decision had been made.

"We must go to the castle now, before night falls." Magorian said.

Morvin turned her excited gaze onto Hermione before waving goodbye to her new friends.

"I'll see you soon." She said before hopping onto Hermione's back.

They said goodbye to Nafeesa who would be staying in the forest with the centaurs. She would be well looked after and would be able to help protect the tribe in the absence of the males.

"Let's go." Magorian said.

With that all the males began to run through the forest, their hoofed feet slamming into the ground, as they followed the tracks to the castle with much ease. They knew everything that they needed to know about the forest and knew which areas to stay away from and which areas were safe.

Feeling exhilarated Hermione followed closely behind, as Morvin watched on, peering over Hermione's shoulder. It didn't take long for them to reach the edge of the forest and when they did, Morvin gasped out loud when she saw her first view of Hogwarts, standing tall and proud against the setting sun. It was so much more than she could have ever imagined.

"Good luck Hermione Granger, we will leave you now. But please tell Firenze we are waiting for him and that we come in peace. If he doesn't come out, we will understand and not hold it against him." Magorian said. He could not blame his old friend if he decided to ignore their hand of friendship, for they had wronged him not the other way round.

"I will. And thank you for the wonderful welcome. I promise that we won't be strangers." Hermione said with a smile.

Magorian nodded his head and gestured to the forest behind him.

"Our home is always welcome to you. Tell Hagrid that he is also welcome. We miss the big oaf." He said with a slight quirk of his lips.

Hermione laughed and nodded.

"You will never see the back of him now." Peering over to Morvin she smiled and asked, "Are you ready little Mo?"

Morvin nodded her head enthusiastically and had to stop herself from bouncing on her mother's back. She was incredibly excited to see the school her mother had grown up in. She had heard all the tales of her mother's adventures, and now she would get to see it all for herself.

"Yes." She squealed.

Stepping over the grass, Hermione could feel the wards tingling against her skin. Pulling out her wand, she waved her hand in the air forming complex spells, allowing her to enter through them.

Once they had safely passed through, she closed the wards behind her and looked up at the castle with a mixture of longing and apprehension.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." She whispered, feeling her nerves begin to build up again, now that she was finally here. Before she could back out however, Hermione began to move quickly over the grassy lawns and towards the school. This was it, she was home.

* * *

Back in the castle, the students were sitting eating dinner and chatting excitedly as it was the leaving feast. Tomorrow they would be departing Hogwarts and traveling home for the summer holidays.

Dumbledore sat looking regal at the Professor's table, with Minerva on his right and Severus on his left. He was disappointed that he wouldn't be going to see Hermione and Morvin this summer, but unfortunately he had his reasons.

Pushing his food about his plate, as he had next to no appetite at the moment, he looked up when he thought he heard the sound of a horn being blown in the distance. Looking around at the other Professor's, no-one else seemed to have heard the noise, so he gathered that it must have been his imagination playing tricks on him.

Severus, seeing Dumbledore act stranger than normal, leaned into his side and whispered,

"Albus is everything alright? Do you need another potion?"

Dumbledore slowly shook his head and laid his aged hand on Severus's arm.

"No my boy I'm fine, I just thought I heard something that's all."

Severus's dark brow rose in silent question but before Dumbledore could answer, he suddenly gasped, as he felt his body tingling and his magic being pulled.

The wards to the school were tied to him since he was the Headmaster, so every time someone unknown passed through them he knew.

"Albus what is it? What's wrong?" Minerva asked worriedly from Dumbledore's right.

Looking to both his companions Dumbledore's gaze flickered to the large wooden doors of the Great Hall.

"It seems that we have visitors. The wards have been breached."

From the corner of his eyes, he saw both Minerva and Severus carefully and discreetly pull out their wands, ready to fight if need be. Placing his hands in front of them, Dumbledore shook his head and smiled reassuringly, never once taking his eyes off the door.

"There is no need for that my dears, our visitors are no threat to us or the school." He said calmly, as Dumbledore would recognize that change of magic anywhere, for he had felt it often enough.

Pushing his chair out from behind him, Dumbledore rose to his feet and got the attention of the students. Once they were silent he began to speak.

"Students of Hogwarts, it brings me great pleasure to announce that we have a surprise visitor gracing us this evening. Please would you all welcome back, one of the best students Hogwarts has ever seen, Miss Hermione Granger."

As his announcement ended the doors to the Great Hall opened and standing in the center of the entryway was Hermione Granger standing alone. Looking beautiful and vibrant just like she had on the day she had left Hogwarts all those year ago.

Finally, she had returned.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Hermione stopped just outside the main doors of the school. She was nervous and excited but most of all she couldn't wait to see Dumbledore, Minerva and Remus. It felt like such a long time since they had last been in each other's company.

The one person she was nervous of seeing again however, was Severus. The last time they had spoken to each other it hadn't gone very well, and she had chosen to go back to Volterra over him, even though he didn't know the full reason why. And she had hurt him by telling him some truths that needed to be said. Hermione hoped that he would understand her reasoning and not hate her too much. After all she knew what his temper could be like, she knew he could hold grudges against those who had hurt him. And she had.

"Are we going in now mother?" A small voice whispered into her ear.

Smiling Hermione squeezed her daughter's hand and slipped her down from her back and onto the ground. Taking her small hand in her own she looked down at the excited girl and smiled.

"Yes little Mo we're going in now."

Before she could open the doors however, they opened with a loud creak revealing Firenze the centaur. His gaze was focused on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, where he knew his people were waiting. He had heard the sound of the horn calling and wondered what was going on.

"Hello Firenze." Hermione whispered, finally gaining his attention.

"Hermione Granger, welcome back to Hogwarts. We have all missed you here." He said with a small respectful bow of his head.

"Thank you." Following his gaze she smiled as she saw Magorian standing proudly with the rest of the centaur tribe. Placing her hand on Firenze's arm she smiled warmly up at him. "Your people are waiting for you; they want to apologize for what they did. Magorian told me that he will understand if you do not want to accept the hand of friendship, as what they done to you was wrong, and if it helps any, they understand that now."

Firenze turned to look at her, the joy at her words shining in his eyes.

"Thank you Hermione Granger. I will speak to my people now. Sometimes we all have to learn to forgive in order to move on." With another bow of his head, he began to move away before suddenly turning to look at her once more. "Oh and Hermione Granger, you will find what you are looking for here at Hogwarts. Your happiness awaits, all you have to do is open your heart and mind to it." Leaving that cryptic message with her, Hermione watched as Firenze ran to his people, stopping just in front of Magorian and bowing down low to his leader.

They exchanged words before Firenze stood up and the two centaurs shook hands. She watched as Magorian wrapped his large hand around the back of Firenze's neck bringing his head in closer so that they could touch foreheads. After that Magorian let him go so that the others could perform the same ritual one after the other.

Hermione smiled before turning her attention back to Morvin.

"Sweetie when we get inside we will have to go straight to the Great Hall. There will be lots of students and Professor's there, will you be comfortable with that." Hermione knew that Morvin still became anxious around large groups of people, especially people she didn't know. And wanted her to be prepared for what was to come. Even though she would be there for Morvin, along with Dumbledore, Minerva and Remus, there would still be too many people in the room at once, and that could prove too daunting for her.

"Can you make me disappear until I'm ready?" Morvin asked in a quiet voice.

Hermione smiled and nodded her head, casting a disillusionment charm on her.

"Walk behind me and remember that I'm right here. I will never let any harm come to you."

"I know." Morvin whispered squeezing Hermione's hand. "And I'm here for you too?" She said in reply.

With that Hermione felt her courage surge and took her first couple of steps into the school. It had been such a long time since she had last stepped foot in these halls and she was comforted to see that they hadn't changed one bit.

Walking towards the Great Hall she could hear the chatter from the students coming from inside, before everything went quiet. Then Dumbledore's voice spoke up, filling the silence. Of course he would know she was there.

Turning her gaze to where she believed a disillusioned Morvin was standing, she whispered,

"Are you ready sweetheart?"

Hearing the whispered 'yes' in reply, Hermione braced her hands on the large wooden doors until she heard her name being called. Then in an overly dramatic fashion, she opened them to the sound of complete silence.

Severus watched her enter the Great Hall from the Professor's table, unable to believe that she was actually here, looking like something between an angel and a wood nymph. Light shone from behind her, illuminating her hair and body, bathing her in a warm glow like an angel. She wore a white summer dress, flat sandals and her dark hair was styled into a thick pleat. She had wildflowers secured in her hair and wore a radiating smile on her face. She was still as beautiful as he remembered, and she still had the ability to make his heart skip a beat.

Huffing, he put on his famous scowl and watched her slowly make her way down the hall. She had made her choice four years ago and it hadn't been him. Why should he care now? He thought bitterly.

"Welcome back Hermione?" Dumbledore said fondly, as she made her way towards the Professor's table.

Suddenly a student sitting at the Gryffindor table stood up and began to slowly clap, stopping Hermione in her tracks. She couldn't do anything but look on as students from the other tables, including Slytherin, began to rise as well, clapping and cheering at the witch who had helped save them all from the Dark Lord.

She turned a bewildered gaze towards Dumbledore who also began to clap, the mad twinkle shining brightly and proudly for her.

"Thank you all for making our guest feel welcomed at Hogwarts once again. But if you don't mind, prefects will you escort the students back to their common rooms please, as dinner is now over."

There was some moaning and groaning, as they all wanted to see the famous Hermione Granger. They of course knew what she had done to aid and help Harry Potter in defeating the Dark Lord. It had been written about in the new Hogwarts: A History. They all knew that she had been turned into a vampire and had powers that went beyond there's, but they all wanted to see if that was true for themselves.

Once every last student had left, Remus was the first to reach Hermione, embracing her in a tight comforting hug.

"This is a nice surprise you never said that you were coming to visit." He said, kissing her head fondly. He had missed her terribly and was so glad that she was back where she belonged.

Hermione laughed and kissed his cheek in return.

"It was a spur of the moment decision." She said turning to look at Minerva who had joined them, and then towards Dumbledore who for some reason was keeping his distance, sitting next to the man who Hermione was dreading seeing again. "I received your letter Albus and thought I would surprise you instead."

Hermione watched with some confusion as Minerva paled and turned a sad look towards Dumbledore. This single look instantly alerted Hermione to the fact that something wasn't right.

"What is it? What's wrong?" She asked suddenly, looking from Dumbledore, to Minerva, to Remus, back to Dumbledore. "What aren't you telling me?" She asked again.

Dumbledore coughed quietly then said,

"Hermione dear where is little Mo?" The conversation they needed was unavoidable, but he didn't want to have it in front of Morvin. It was not a conversation to be had in front of little ears.

"She is here with me of course." Hermione said, nodding to the spot where her daughter stood.

"Then I believe now is not the time." Dumbledore said quietly. "Now where is my sweet little Mo hiding hmm?" He said with a chuckle. "I do believe I'm in need of a hug."

Severus who had been watching the whole exchange silently, frowned with confusion, as far as he could see Hermione had come alone. Before he knew what he was doing the words he had been thinking suddenly spilled forth from his mouth.

"And who on earth is little Mo?" He said with a dark scowl.

The silky voice Hermione had been dreading suddenly spoke up, washing over her and causing her stomach to flutter. After not laying eyes on him for four years, Hermione turned to look at him finally. He was still as pale as she remembered, still as tall, and still had black shoulder length hair, but something was different about him. He didn't look nearly as gaunt or as sickly as he did before. He looked healthier now than he ever had and it was clear that not having to bounce between two Masters had helped.

Looking at Severus now, she felt a mixture of regret and warmth spread through her, as well as that funny pull she always got when she was near him. It wasn't anything like the pull she had with Aro, but it was something she couldn't explain nonetheless. The feeling of dread also surfaced, as she knew she would have to tell him about Morvin, she just hadn't expected to discuss her this soon with him.

Not knowing how he would react to the news, Hermione straightened her shoulders in defiance and looked straight into his dark eyes.

"Morvin is my daughter." Hermione said calmly.

Whatever Severus had been expecting it certainly wasn't that. From what he had heard vampires couldn't have children so how could she possibly have a daughter? And who on earth was the father? But then again why would she lie about something like that. And why did the others not seem surprised by her declaration. Then the realization hit him. They all knew about her except for him.

Hermione waved her hand, cancelling the disillusionment spell, revealing a little girl who looked no more than eight years old. She was clinging to Hermione's leg as if she was terrified she would suddenly disappear.

Severus's breath caught at the sight of the little girl. She looked remarkably like Hermione, with a head of glossy dark curls. She was beautiful and wearing a red dress with a matching red ribbon. She looked everything like he would imagine a daughter of Hermione's to look like.

"Impossible." He whispered, as several emotions coursed through him at once.

Hermione kneeled down next to her daughter, and Severus could see the love and warmth shining in her eyes. This simple maternal look made his heart clench in his chest. If she had been human, would she have looked at their children in that way, he suddenly wondered?

"This is Professor Snape sweetheart, remember you read about him in Hogwarts: A History?"

At hearing that Severus couldn't help but snort. Of course Hermione and her daughter had read that book. The old edition was never out of her hands when she had been a student here.

Hermione turned to glare at him before turning her attention back to Morvin.

"Are you alright sweetie? Is this a bit much for you?" Hermione asked with some concern.

Although Morvin was nervous being in the presence of people she didn't know, her curiosity had gotten the better of her as she gazed around the Great Hall, seeing the floating candles and the enchanted ceiling. It was so much better than what she had read.

Turning her gaze to Hermione, she smiled sweetly and said,

" _It's so beautiful mother I can't believe I'm actually here."_ Whenever Morvin was nervous, or in close proximity to people she didn't know, she always reverted back to speaking through the mind. It was a sort of a calming tactic she used to help settle her nerves. _"Why is Grandma Minnie wearing that hat though?"_ Morvin asked with a giggle causing Hermione to laugh.

Looking up at Minerva, Hermione asked,

"Morvin would like to know why Grandma Minnie is wearing that hat?" Her eyes shone brightly as she tried to contain her laughter.

Looking as if she wanted to laugh herself, Minerva schooled her features and said,

"This little Mo is what witches have to wear in our world. Are you telling me you don't like my attire?" She couldn't stop the small quirk of her lips as she twirled for Morvin to see her outfit in full.

Morvin giggled and nodded her head.

" _I love your outfit Grandma Minnie? Can I have one just like yours please?"_ She asked sweetly.

Minerva stepped towards Morvin, with her hand on her chin as if she was deep in thought.

"Hmm." She said out loud before pulling out her wand. With a couple of swishes Morvin's dress had turned into miniature matching robes and her hairband turned into a matching witch's hat. "Perfect." Minerva said as Morvin twirled around happily.

Hermione beamed proudly at her daughter and kissed her pale cheek.

"You look beautiful sweetheart. Now what do you say to Grandma Minnie."

Morvin turned to Minerva and ran cuddling her legs.

" _Thank you so much Grandma Minnie I love it."_ Morvin's voice whispered in her mind.

Minerva chuckled and kissed her adopted granddaughter's cold cheek.

"It's my pleasure dear child."

Severus, who had once again been watching the whole exchange in silence, frowned even more in confusion. It sounded like they were all having a one sided conversation, despite the fact that the little girl hadn't uttered a single word. Curious he looked at the girl and waited until her gaze had reached his before performing legilimency on her.

Hermione had seen Severus lock eyes with her daughter, she could feel the power of his spell before it penetrated her daughters mind. Using her vampire speed she moved in front of her daughter, blocking his spell at once, repelling it so that it bounced back to him knocking him backwards on his chair.

"Severus Snape if you _ever_ try to perform legilimency on my daughter again I will personally see to it that you will _never_ be able to cast that spell again." She hissed out in a deadly quiet voice. She did not have to shout and scream for them to feel her anger, the magic that swirled dangerously around her, did that for them. "Have you _any_ idea what you could have done?"

Severus who had not been prepared for Hermione's wrath blushed furiously as he got to his feet, not wanting anyone to know how badly his bottom and back hurt, as he tried to keep whatever piece of dignity that he had left.

Glaring at her for embarrassing him in such a way, he sneered,

"I will not come near _you_ or _your_ daughter again. Good evening." With that he whirled around and exited through the teacher's entrance, his black robes billowing furiously behind him, as he tried not to limp or rub his sore bottom. He would definitely need some bruise paste after that incident.

Flinching at the sound of the door slamming shut behind him, Hermione's magic and anger receded. That was not how she planned her first meeting with Severus to go. It couldn't have been any worse if she tried.

Sighing she turned around to face her daughter, concern and worry written in her face.

"Morvin are you alright sweetie?" She asked.

Frowning Morvin nodded, not sure she understood what had just happened.

" _Yes I'm fine mother but I think you ought to apologize to that man. You looked very scary and I don't think he meant to do anything wrong."_

Hermione smiled warmly at her daughter.

"You have such a wonderful heart sweetie. You might be right about the apology but I think I ought to leave him for a little while." She turned to the rest of the Professors who looked on with varying looks of amusement, fear and awe. "I'm so sorry about that but I couldn't risk him prying into her mind." Turning to look at those who knew of her daughter's history, she pleaded for them to understand.

"He will calm down eventually Hermione. But for now let us get you settled into your rooms, since I guess you will be staying for a little while longer?" Dumbledore said peering from over his small spectacles, looking more tired than Hermione had ever seen him.

"Yes if that's alright of course, and only if we're not putting you out." Hermione said, knowing that perhaps their sudden arrival might not be wanted.

"Of course not we're happy to have you." Minerva said, waving Hermione's fears away.

"Thank you." Turning to look at Hagrid who had been sitting looking slightly stunned she said, "Hagrid, Magorian asked me to pass on a message to you. He said that he is sorry and that you are welcome into the Forbidden Forest whenever you wish. He has made peace with Firenze and wishes the same thing with Hogwarts. I do believe that he has pledged his loyalty to both the school and to me."

Hagrid looked confused then awed by Hermione's words.

"You spoke to the centaurs 'Ermione?" He asked suddenly.

Hermione giggle and nodded her head.

"Yes I met all the tribe including their mates and young. It was a wonderful experience."

Hagrid, in his excitement, stood up from the table knocking his chair over.

"Even I've not seen the whole tribe, what are they like." He asked eagerly.

So Hermione sat down and told them all about her meeting with Magorian. She told them everything he had said, everything they had done, without leaving any details out. She also told them how Nafeesa was currently still with them.

"You brought a dragon to Hogwarts?" Hagrid bellowed from excitement.

Hermione laughed, knowing how the half giant felt about dragons.

"Yes. Remember Harry's dragon in the Triwizard Tournament, well she's my dragon now and I am her rider. She is an alpha you know." She said knowing how much Hagrid would like that.

"She's the Hungarian Horntail she is." Hagrid yelled looking almost like he was going to faint. "How did you do it?" He asked her.

Hermione thought back to the first time she had ever seen Nafeesa properly and smiled wistfully.

"I honestly don't know Hagrid. The first time we laid eyes on each other there was a connection between us and I felt safe and secure. She is my familiar on every level, just as much as I am hers." Smiling up at him she said, "How about tomorrow when the students have left Hogwarts, I introduce you to her?"

Seeing his eyes watering with sheer delight, Hermione was suddenly engulfed in Hagrid's large arms as he picked her up from the chair and gave her a bear hug. If she had still been a human, then she was sure her bones would have been broken. But she wasn't.

Once he had set her down, apologizing profusely, Hermione grinned wickedly before wrapping her short arms around Hagrid's waist and picked him up, as if he weighed nothing at all.

He gave out a yelp as Hermione crushed him in a hug, then began to laugh joyously at her.

"Well I'll be damned; I keep forgetting you're a vampire." He said beaming from ear to ear. "I guess I've had a taste of my own medicine now." He said as Hermione put him back on his feet.

"So once the students are away I'll meet you outside the main doors and I'll introduce you to Nafeesa." Hermione said again, as Hagrid dabbed at his wet eyes.

"I would love to. I always said dragons were misunderstood." He said proudly.

"And you were right Hagrid." Hermione said in agreement. Turning to look at the others she said, "Would you mind terribly if I left Morvin here for a moment. There's something I need to do." Hermione was of course referring to the incident with Severus. She didn't want things to spoil her first night back, it was already going to be hard facing him without this adding to it.

"Of course dear go ahead. Morvin will be fine with us." Minerva said.

"Thanks I promise not to be long."

With that Hermione exited the Great Hall the same way Severus had and followed the path he had taken back to the dungeons. It wasn't that hard to track him really due to her enhanced senses.

Making her way to his classroom, she suddenly felt like a misbehaving student again, ready to face the angry scowling face of her dreaded Potions Professor.

Stopping outside his door for a moment, she raised her hand ready to knock only for it to be swung open, as he appeared.

Whatever snide remark he was about to unleash suddenly died when he saw her. He had seen someone stop outside his classroom and opening the door he had expected to see an errant student, not the woman he had just been thinking about seconds before.

After he had left the Great Hall in shame, he had stalked through the halls, seething in anger and rage. How dare she come back here after breaking his heart! How dare she come back with a daughter, a daughter who looked like a younger version of her! How dare she look so beautiful and happy, like he didn't matter to her! How dare she stir all these feelings in him again, feelings he had been certain he no longer felt, until now!

He had been doing well without her. He had been moving on with his life just as she had asked, and now she had come back into his life confusing him and stirring up old feelings again.

Somehow she managed to make him feel weak and vulnerable and that just wouldn't do. Then on top of that she had embarrassed him in front of all his colleagues. How was he supposed to face them again after that indignity?

He slammed the door to his classroom and began to pace. Not sure how he was supposed to feel.

She was everything he remembered her to be and more, and the sight of her was enough to set his pulse racing. But even though she still looked the same as she always did, her eyes were different. They showed life, maturity, she had grown, mentally speaking, into the woman he had always imagined her to be.

The way she had looked at the girl though, the love and warmth he had seen shining in them, he couldn't help but feel envious of that look. He had wanted her to look at him that way, even now.

Sighing, Severus had flopped down onto his chair, wincing when the hard wood met the tender skin of his bottom and back. He would really need to put some bruise paste on the affected areas.

How had she known though, that he was performing legilimency on her daughter, or rather was about to? It was almost as if she had sensed his magic before he had cast the spell. That was interesting, he thought almost grudgingly.

He knew that what he was about to do was wrong, he should never have tried to invade the young girls mind like that. But still Hermione's response had been uncalled for. Sighing again he buried his face in his hands. It was his own fault, she was just protecting her daughter in the end, how could he blame her for that. He knew deep down that he would have to go to her and apologize for his behavior. But he sure as hell wasn't going to do it tonight. Not only did he have plans later but his pride had taken a beating enough for one day.

He also didn't need the added complication of the feelings she stirred in him, to ruin the rest of his evening. So he would wait until tomorrow to find her and apologize.

Looking up at the sight of a shadow passing underneath his door, he gazed at his watch only to see it was too early for his date. Scowling he expected it to be a student, and was ready to terrify whichever one had dared come to his door.

Flinging the door open he went to make a scathing remark at the student, only to see Hermione standing there, her hand braced for knocking.

"Severus would you mind terribly if I came in for a moment, there is something I need to tell you." She said, her expression serious.

Not knowing what to say, he moved to the side letting her step into the room, then quietly shut the door behind them. She moved through the classroom, looking around and remembering her time spent here. Again the room hadn't changed. It was still as dark and creepy as she remembered.

"You wished to speak to me so speak and stop wasting my time." Severus growled out, not wanting to be in her presence any longer than he had to be.

Hermione spun on her heel and glared at him, her eyes burning with anger. In that moment Severus had never seen a more beautiful sight than her angry, but he couldn't dwell on that thought for too long. She had made her choice, he reminded himself.

"I promise I won't take up any more of your time than I have to. I only came to apologize and to explain my actions." She said quietly, though her voice was as hard as steel.

"Then explain. I'm listening."

He watched as she sighed, her shoulders losing the stiffness as some of her anger began to deflate.

"Morvin, as you may have figured out, is not my biological daughter, but she _is_ my daughter in all the ways that count. When I found her, I promised to protect her, which is why I get a bit maternal whenever anyone tries to harm her." She admitted.

"A bit maternal." Severus scoffed.

She frowned at him and said,

"Alright a lot. So sue me." Hermione sighed again trying to calm her anger. It would not do to get into another argument with him, not when she was already here to apologize. "The reason I am so protective of her is because she had been hurt badly before, both physically and mentally. So as long as she is in my care I will do anything I can to protect her. Including kill for her." She said remembering what happened to the Romanian soldier who had hurt Morvin.

Severus stared at the woman in front of him, she was nothing like the Hermione he had known. Whether that was a good thing or bad remained to be seen however.

"What are you saying?" He asked quietly.

Turning to look at him, her eyes were big and doe like and he could see a trace of the innocent young woman that she used to be, still lingering there.

"Would you mind if I showed you her story, rather than explain it to you. It will be quicker and easier that way?" She asked quietly taking a step towards him. She could smell the man underneath the potion ingredients, and found that she wanted nothing more than to bury her nose in his scent. She had missed him.

"If you must." He said trying to sound calm, feeling anything but.

She stepped closer to him and once their gazes had locked she began to penetrate his mind, easily getting through his occlumency shields, before showing him her memories of Morvin. From the day she had found her, to when Dumbledore had helped perform the memory charm, to the way she communicated and how her behavior had changed. She showed him it all, hoping he would understand.

Slowly she pulled out of his mind, only for him to flop down onto the chair, his chest heaving as he tried to take in everything he had just witnessed. He of all people knew how it felt to be abused, although never sexually, and unloved, after all his own father had beaten him repeatedly while his own mother had stood back and done nothing to stop it.

The only person who knew the full extent of his beatings had been Lily and although she had tried to help him, there was nothing she could do in the end.

The little girl was fortunate to have Hermione to love and protect her, and she did with a fierceness he could only admire. He could feel the love she felt for the girl and understood her reasons for the way she acted. Suddenly it all made sense to him.

"That is why you were so angry with me, you were scared that I would bring up all her memories again, cancelling the memory charm Albus had placed." He said finally looking up into her worried face.

She nodded her head and began to worry her bottom lip, something he remembered her doing as a student.

"Yes, and I couldn't risk that happening Severus, I'm sorry."

"You really care for the girl." He said, it wasn't really a question more of a statement.

"She's my daughter." Hermione said with a slight smile.

Suddenly another wave of understanding hit him, causing him to rise to his feet and pace. Swirling around in his robes he faced her again.

"That day back at the Dragon Sanctuary, when you left for Volterra. You said that the most important thing in your life was there and nothing could keep you away. You were referring to her weren't you?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

Hermione nodded and sat down on one of the desks.

"Yes I was referring to her. You see it was never a choice between you and Aro, Severus, not then. It was Morvin, and it will always be Morvin. She is my daughter and I couldn't just leave her in Volterra. Even though she had allies in Marcus, Felix and Demetri she was still in danger. Aro had wanted her destroyed at first, and so did others, and I couldn't risk her safety." Hermione said. "I had to go back."

Hearing her softly spoken words, Severus's heart began to beat rapidly in his chest. So she hadn't chosen the vampire over him then.

"So why didn't you tell me, I could have helped, I would have understood."

Hermione began to shake her head.

"I couldn't risk too many people knowing about her Severus, she is an immortal child. She goes against the Volturi Laws. I couldn't chance the wizarding world finding out about her either, you saw how they reacted towards me, imagine how they would react to her."

It all made sense to him now, the way she had kept away for so long, the reason why only certain people were allowed to visit her. Why Dumbledore and Minerva kept quiet about her location and what was going on in her life. They were protecting the child.

"So why come back now, why not stay away." Severus demanded to know.

Hermione looked at him and said,

"As I mentioned before I received a letter from Albus telling me that they couldn't visit this year. Not only did I think something was wrong but I also thought that perhaps it was time to come back. Morvin always wanted to visit Hogwarts." She said with a slight smile.

Severus swallowed hard before asking,

"Do you know why they couldn't visit you?"

Hermione frowned at this question.

"No, but Albus said we would talk later."

Severus suddenly felt guilty at her words, he of course knew the reason but it wasn't his place to say anything to the woman in front of him. That lay with Dumbledore and Minerva.

"Then I suggest you go and speak to him now." He said softly, earning a curious look.

Hermione wasn't stupid she knew something was going on, and she knew Severus knew what that was, but she wouldn't put him on the spot and ask. Not after slowly bridging things between them.

"Very well I will leave you to it then." She got up from the desk and began to move towards the door, but Severus couldn't let her leave like that. Striding forward, he stopped in front of her then said,

"Hermione before you leave I have to apologize to you, I should never have tried to enter Morvin's mind."

"No you shouldn't have." She agreed, her voice growing softer.

Unable to stop himself Severus reached out his hand and gently ran his finger down her soft cold cheek. The feel of her skin and the coldness of it, sent shivers through his body.

"Hermione I-" Before he could say anything else, there was a knock at the door ruining the moment. He watched as Hermione pulled away from him and back away from the door, her arms folded across her chest and her eyes apologetic. He dropped his outstretched hand and let it fall to his side, before opening the door.

"Hello Severus are you ready for our date?" Caroline Fenton, the new Muggle Studies Professor asked, bending her head to kiss him on the lips.

She was thirty and beautiful with long red hair, creamy white skin and full kissable lips. The moment she had started working at Hogwarts she had been attracted to the dark handsome Potions Professor. But it wasn't until recently that he had begun to show an interest in her as well, and she had been working here now for two years. She had finally gotten a date with him and decided to wear her tightest, shortest green dress pairing it with silver high heels hoping to impress him by using his house colors.

He would have been impressed if it hadn't been for the fact that his mind wasn't on her at all. Instead it was still on the woman who had only just come back into his life. A woman who had once captured his heart and who he had loved. Possibly even still loved.

"Yes of course just one moment." He said, closing the door slightly so that he could see Hermione. To his surprise however the room was empty except for him, leaving him feeling slightly bereft at her absence.

"Severus we'll miss our reservation." Caroline said, drawing his attention back to her.

Taking off his school robes, he hung them up on the peg before dimming the torches and leaving the class. With one last longing look around the classroom, Severus closed the door, locking and warding the room before holding out his arm for the attractive woman by his side.

He already knew that his heart and mind were no longer on the date, but he couldn't cancel it now. So with nothing left for it the two of them left for the evening.

Hermione had watched Severus and the woman exchange greetings from the shadows, before quietly disillusioning herself.

She knew it was rude of her to just disappear like that but how was she supposed to face him after the brief moment they had just shared. Her feelings were in turmoil and she honestly wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel.

Finally composing herself and calming her emotions, she decided that the only thing she was entitled to feel was happiness for him. After all she had developed feelings for Aro, she had pushed Severus and told him to move on and be happy, how could she possibly resent him for doing what she had asked him to do.

If anyone deserved to be happy it was him, and she wouldn't take that away from him. She couldn't grudge him that happiness, not after everything he had been through.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she was finally able to unward the room and leave. She had to see how Morvin was, but more importantly she had to speak to Albus and find out what everyone was hiding from her. She got the feeling that whatever it was would be bad and she would need all her wits about her, if she was to face what was coming.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Making her way out of the Dungeon's, Hermione stopped abruptly when she heard voices coming from the main entrance. She hid out of sight and leaned her back against the wall, not needing to look to see who the voices belonged too.

"Severus have you seen Hermione at all?" Remus asked, with some concern laced in his voice.

"Not for a while." Severus replied vaguely, not wanting to go into any details about his meeting with Hermione while Caroline, _his date_ , was there.

Since she hadn't been at the leaving feast tonight, as she was too busy getting herself ready and prepared for her date with the esteemed Potions Master, Caroline didn't know that Hermione had returned to the castle.

"Sorry but who is Hermione?" She suddenly asked curiously.

She knew of Hermione Granger of course, the most famous muggleborn student Hogwarts had ever seen. She also knew of the vital role she had played during the War, and knew of the powers she had because of being turned into a vampire. She had read the Daily Prophet and the new edition of Hogwarts: A History about her. But she also knew that Hermione Granger had moved away some years ago, breaking the heart of Severus Snape, or so the gossip in the staff room said anyway.

"Hermione Granger, Caroline she came back tonight." Remus said happily, to the annoyance of the Muggle Studies Professor.

Caroline was not normally a jealous person, but if the rumors were true about Hermione Granger breaking Severus's heart, then she was at disadvantage. She had spent a long time coveting the Potions Master, so she wasn't about to let some famous hybrid take something, that she had worked so hard to get, right from under her.

She plastered on a fake enthusiastic smile, then said,

"I can't believe Hermione Granger is back at the school. How wonderful?" She practically gushed.

"Yes wonderful." Severus said with a slight sneer. He looked so indifferent on the outside but the truth was his feelings were in turmoil.

Seeing the cold unaffected look on his face, Caroline felt slightly placated. For someone who had apparently gotten his heart broken he didn't appear affected at all by the news of her returning.

"I can't wait to meet her tomorrow." She gushed again. It was a half-truth anyway. She wasn't that enthusiastic to meet her, but she was curious to see what the other woman was like. She was after all, considered a rival in Caroline's eyes.

Scowling at how fake his date appeared Severus said,

"Anyway it's getting late, we do not want to miss our reservation now do we."

Squeezing his arm, Caroline smiled up at Severus and nodded.

"No we don't."

"Then come, let's go. Good night Lupin." Severus said with a courteous nod of his head.

"Good evening Severus, Caroline have fun." Remus said with a mischievous quirk of his lips.

Caroline beamed as her cheeks turned a pretty shade of red, if she got her way the evening would be ending in a very fun and satisfying way indeed.

Frowning at Remus, Severus guided Caroline out of the main set of doors trying to get all thoughts of Hermione out of his mind.

Making sure they were gone, Remus suddenly said,

"You can come out now Hermione they're away."

Laughing to herself at being caught listening, Hermione moved from her position against the wall and headed straight towards her best friend.

"Sorry Remus, I really didn't want them to know that I was there." She said, walking straight into his comforting embrace.

He let her go before smiling warmly down at her.

"I can't imagine why." He said with a slight chuckle, knowing that Caroline was being completely insincere about Hermione. "I take it you have met Severus's Lily clone then."

Hermione sighed then said,

"I didn't get to meet her exactly. We were in Severus's office when she knocked on the door. I disillusioned myself and hid in his room, making him think that I had gone." She admitted with a slight quirk of her lips.

"Ah I see." Remus said with a small grin. "So that's why they were out before you." He said, more of a statement than a question.

"Yes." She agreed.

Remus frowned and looked down at Hermione before asking,

"So what do you think of her then?"

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment, as she thought about Caroline. She did look an awful lot like Lily Potter now that Remus had mentioned it. She had the long fiery red hair, the beautiful porcelain skin, and a very obvious beauty about her. But if that's what Severus wanted, then who was she to say anything. At the end of the day it was his choice whoever he wanted to date, not hers or anyone else's for that matter. And if she was honest with herself it would have been worse if he was seeing someone who looked like her. That would have been far more unsettling for Hermione.

She sighed then said,

"Remus despite the fact I don't appreciate her falseness with regards to me, who am I to say anything. If she makes Severus happy then that's what matters." She watched as Remus looked away and ran his hand through his sandy colored hair, which was now dusted with grey. She sighed then asked, "Remus what is it?" For she knew what that nervous trait meant.

"That's the thing Hermione, I don't think he's happy." Remus said honestly, his voice softening with sadness.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, not knowing if she truly wanted to know the answer.

"I was there when you two were seeing each other. And even though he tried to hide it from everyone I had never seen Severus looking so happy. I knew about his feelings for Lily of course, and I knew he loved you the night he found out you had been bitten. The man was a spy and an expert at hiding his true emotions, but I had never seen Severus looking so scared than when he thought you had been hurt." Remus remembered that night like it was yesterday, it was the guiltiest night of his life after all. "I was also there when you left for Volterra. I saw his heart breaking but never once did he give up hope on you. Not until that night you left the Dragon Sanctuary. He looked so broken, so lost."

Hermione felt her heart clench in her chest at his words.

"Remus." She whispered sadly, feeling guiltier than she had before. "I never wanted to hurt him believe me. I loved him too." She admitted.

Remus took both of her cold hands in his warm ones, and looked straight into her eyes.

"I know you did Hermione and I know if things had things been different for you, you would have made a proper go of things. Believe me I don't say this to hurt you, you're my best friend and I love you. But Severus has also become a good friend and I don't want to see him hurting more than he already is."

Hermione looked at Remus with pained eyes then said,

"Do you wish I hadn't returned?"

Remus shook his head vigorously and squeezed her hands reassuringly.

"No of course I don't wish that, that's not what I'm saying Hermione. I'm glad you're back, I've missed you so much."

She pulled her hands from his and stared at him with a look of sheer confusion.

"Then what are you trying to say then?" She asked.

Remus sighed and once again ran his hand through his hair, knowing that he wasn't doing a very good job at articulating his meaning.

"What I'm trying to say is, please give Severus some space. He thinks he wants to date other people but having you back might stir up his feelings for you. I don't want to see him hurt any more than he is. He's a good man and deserves so much."

Hermione couldn't help but soften at his words. How could she possibly be mad at him for caring about his former enemy like that?

Smiling fondly up at him she squeezed his arm and said,

"You really are a great man Remus Lupin, and I'm so glad that Severus has a friend like you. I know you're right and I promise not to hurt him. If it helps ease your mind somewhat, we both know where the other stands. We know that there could never be anything more between us than friendship. Plus I have Morvin now and she is my world." Hermione said honestly, but at the same time feeling that same pang in her chest at knowing something was missing from her life, despite how much she tried to pretend otherwise.

"And what about Aro?" Remus asked with a raised eyebrow.

Seeing the look on Hermione's face change from sadness, to being closed off at the mention of Aro, Remus instantly knew that he had said the wrong thing to her. Unfortunately he couldn't take it back.

"I would rather not talk about him Remus if you don't mind." She said, her voice sounding calm and steady. All Remus could do was nod his head in understanding, not wanting to say anything in case he made things worse. Quickly changing the subject, Hermione asked, "So why did you come looking for me?"

Feeling grateful at the sudden change in conversation, Remus let out a slow breath and smiled.

"Ahh yes Albus asked me to come and find you. He, Minerva and Morvin are currently up in his office. Your daughter had a million and one questions for him." He said with a small chuckle.

Hermione laughed and smiled proudly, her daughter was just as inquisitive as she herself was. If not more so.

"What can I say, that's my girl." She said smiling.

With that Hermione took Remus's arm and together they made their way to the Headmasters office. She couldn't help but look around the castle wistfully as memories of her time here assaulted her mind. Sometimes she wished she could go back to those days, but then again she wouldn't have what she did now.

Finally reaching the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office Remus said the password which was 'strawberry bob bon' causing Hermione to chuckle.

Giving her a quizzical look, Hermione smiled and said,

"Typical Albus and his sweets. I'm glad some things haven't changed."

For a split second Hermione saw a flash of sadness flicker in Remus's eyes, but he was quick to hide it. Before she could ask him what was wrong, they had passed through the doors and she was following him up the spiral staircase.

She could hear laughter and voices coming from the wooden doors to the office and couldn't help but smile at the sound. She was glad that she had made the decision to come back to Hogwarts, for she had missed her little family so much, and could see how happy Morvin was as well.

With a gentle knock on the door Remus and Hermione entered, only to see Dumbledore sitting behind his desk smiling, while Minerva stood opposite, poised over Morvin with the sorting hat in her hands.

"What on earth are you doing?" Hermione asked with a small smile playing on her lips as she sat down in one of the comfortable chairs.

"We were wondering where you got to my dear." Dumbledore said fondly. "Morvin wanted to come and visit my office and asked if she could be sorted. So we thought we would try it out and see if we could."

"Your daughter is very persuasive." Minerva added with a slight chuckle.

"Is that alright mother?" Morvin asked out loud, looking a bit sheepish.

Hermione laughed and nodded her head in amusement.

"Of course it is." She laughed, curious herself to see if it would work or not.

Minerva looked down at her adopted granddaughter and asked her if she was ready. Morvin nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. Gently the hat was placed on top of her head and the minute it had touched her, the hat instantly became animated.

"Hmm you are not a magical being to be sorted, so what am I doing on your head?" He asked.

"I'm not magical I'm a vampire. I just wondered if I could be housed, just like my mother." Morvin asked quietly.

"And who, dare I ask is your mother?" The hat asked sounding slightly irritated.

"Hermione, Hermione Granger." Morvin whispered, feeling even more nervous now.

"Ahhh." The sorting hat exclaimed excitedly. "Hermione Granger, the Gryffindor Princess. I would ask how she's doing but I know she's doing well. She would have made a wonderful Ravenclaw but alas it wasn't meant to be." There was a slight pause, while the hat was lost in thought. "Since she is your mother, and since I am most intrigued myself, I will sort you. Now let's have a look shall we."

Hermione could hear the quiet conversation going on between Morvin and the hat and leaned forward slightly on the chair to hear the outcome. She was just as curious to see which house Morvin would be in. She thought maybe Ravenclaw since Morvin was extremely intelligent.

"Now this has never been done before, but for you I will make an exception." The hat said, looking through all of Morvin's traits. "I see that you have ambition and are resourceful, both traits belonging to the House of Slytherin, but I do not feel that you would do well there. No, you wouldn't at all. But being resourceful is also a trait of Ravenclaw and you show great intelligence. Just like your mother. But like your mother I do not feel that your intelligence reflects who you are. It is only a small part of you. That leaves Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Hmm." The hat said, going quiet again. "You are brave and loyal, but fair and just. You are kind and happy, and when you love, you love truly and completely. So with that there is only one house for you." Everyone in the room grew quiet, as they waited for the hat to shout, "Hufflepuff."

Picking up the hat from her head, Minerva smiled warmly down at her adopted granddaughter.

"Such a perfect house for you my dear."

Looking around at all the faces, Morvin turned to look at Hermione who couldn't hide her pride and joy.

"Is that good?" She asked timidly.

Hermione brushed away a stray tear and nodded her head with pride.

"Yes my love that's good. And I agree with Minerva, it's the perfect house for you. Your auntie Dora will be so happy to learn that you are a Hufflepuff." She added.

"Do you think so?" Morvin said happily.

"I do." Remus said with a small smile, before his eyes met the serious gaze of Dumbledore. "Why don't we head to my quarters now and tell her the news. I'm sure that Dora and Teddy will be happy to see you."

Morvin looked at Hermione, and gave her a pleading look.

"Can I go mother please?" She asked.

Hermione laughed and nodded her head.

"Of course sweetie. Uncle Remus will take you to his quarters, if that's alright with him and I will come for you later. I have to stay here and have a quiet word with Grandpa Dumbledore first."

The whole reason she had come to his office in the first place was to find out what was going on. She didn't want to leave before she got the answer that she sought.

"Ok." Morvin said sweetly, jumping from the chair to give Hermione a loving kiss.

"Let's go then little Mo." Remus rose to his feet and together they left the office, not before he gave Dumbledore a sorrowful look behind Hermione's back.

"I have things to do as well." Minerva said following Remus and Morvin out, without a backwards glance at either Dumbledore or Hermione.

Once the door had firmly closed behind them, there was a moment of silence before Dumbledore turned to look at Hermione. Even though he was smiling at her, the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. The normal maddening twinkle had almost completely gone, making Hermione feel anxious.

"You certainly do have a wonderful girl there." He finally said, breaking the silence between them. "I can't believe she asked to be sorted." He said with a soft chuckle. "Hufflepuff certainly suits her."

Hermione couldn't help but smile at his words.

"Yes it certainly does. I blame you for her curiosity. Ever since you gave her that book, she's done nothing but ask questions about Hogwarts. It's only gone and piqued her interest even more."

Dumbledore laughed at her words before saying,

"Nothing like you then."

Hermione knew that Dumbledore was trying to stall telling her whatever it was that needed to be said, but she couldn't wait any longer. She needed to know now.

Sighing she looked at Dumbledore and asked,

"Are you ever going to tell me what's going on Albus? I know that you're trying to avoid the subject but please just say whatever it is? What's happened, why are you all so afraid to discuss it?" She asked.

Dumbledore sighed and rubbed his head, feeling a slight migraine coming on.

"You are right of course Hermione, ever the know it all." He said with a fond smile. "But I don't think we should discuss things here; it seems far too formal a setting for us. Let's go to my study and get comfortable."

Rising to his feet he followed Hermione across his office, keeping a small distance between them at all times, as he knew how perceptive she could be.

"Please have a seat." He said indicating one of the comfortable couches.

Before she sat down however, Hermione moved quickly over to him and hugged him tightly.

"I've missed you so much." She said quietly causing Dumbledore to instantly stiffen. The moment she had laid her head against his neck everything hit her at once. Stepping back, she looked at him closely as her eyes widened in understanding. The smell, the sound, everything made sense now. "Albus what is that? Are you-" She struggled to say the word out loud, in case she was right, for that would only make things real. But the look on Dumbledore's face answered the question for her. "No." She said, shaking her head vehemently. "No you can't be." She whispered taking a step back.

Dumbledore sighed and gave her a small sad smile.

"Hermione I'm dying." He said thoughtfully.

She looked him over again as if seeing him properly for the first time. His face was a deathly pale color and he looked thinner, gaunter than before, obviously he had lost weight. His eyes looked tired and he had deep black circles around them. His hair looked stragglier than normal and his beard slightly disheveled. She gasped out loud with realization.

"Were you wearing a glamour?" She asked.

Taking a seat on the comfortable couch, feeling suddenly exhausted and weary he nodded his head and said,

"Yes I was, but I knew you would be able to see through it."

"Is that why you kept your distance from me." She asked, taking a seat across from him.

"Yes and I'm sorry about that Hermione, I didn't want you to find out that way."

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, fighting against the emotions that suddenly coursed through her. Ignoring the obvious questions that came to mind, she suddenly asked,

"What's- what's wrong with you?"

Dumbledore sat back against the chair and combed his fingers through his beard before finally answering her question.

"It's my heart Hermione, it's weakening and soon it will grow too weak for me."

"But there must be something we can do. Some potion you can take or a healing spell you can cast." Hermione said, not wanting to believe the worst just yet.

Dumbledore smiled sadly at her concern before leaning over and taking her hand in his.

"There is nothing that can be done my dear girl, believe me we have tried. The Healers have been looking into it for me and so has Severus. He has been brewing special potions for me to take daily, but eventually they will no longer be able to work."

Hermione looked away from his piercing gaze for a moment before settling back on him once again. Her eyes hard with determination.

"I can help you Albus. I can change you." She said her voice sounding desperate.

He chuckled and shook his head in the negative.

"Thank you for the offer Hermione but no. You see I have lived a full and wonderful life, which was made even fuller when you and Morvin came into it. These past few years have been the best years of my life because you gave me something I thought I would never have. You gave me a family, a daughter, a granddaughter, but most importantly you gave me love." He smiled happily and squeezed her hand. "I am ready for death my dear girl, and believe me when I say that I will be dying a very happy man."

A sob was suddenly wrenched from Hermione as her heart clenched painfully in her chest. Bowing her head, she let her tears fall as Dumbledore embraced her tightly, his own tears beginning to fall at the sight of his beautiful girl looking so lost and vulnerable.

"How am I supposed to live without you? How is Morvin supposed to live without you? Oh god I have to tell her." Hermione cried clutching onto Dumbledore's robes tightly.

"You will manage just as you have always done." He answered, knowing that there was nothing he could say that would ease her grief.

"H-how long?" She stammered.

Dumbledore pulled away looking slightly sheepish.

"How long do I have left or how long have I known?" He asked.

There was something in his tone of voice that made Hermione think that she wasn't going to like the answer, but she needed to know nonetheless.

"I have known since Minerva's first visit to you Hermione. The Healers said I would only live for a year if that. Only now things have gotten worse in the past couple of weeks, which is why we couldn't visit. My heart wouldn't be able to handle the stress of portkeying."

She could see the faint blush against the paleness of his skin and felt slightly betrayed by his answer.

"That long, but that was over a year ago." She said leaping from the chair, as she began to pace up and down in his study. "You have known since then and never thought to tell me. Why?" She asked turning to face him. "Why would you keep that from me?"

Dumbledore could see the hurt flash in her eyes and honestly felt guilty about it. He was only trying to protect her, or at least he thought he was. Sitting back against the chair he said,

"I was going to tell you but I didn't want to worry you. You had so much going on and I didn't want to add to your worries."

"When was I supposed to find out then, after you had died? Were you hoping someone would write to me afterwards and tell me the sad news in a letter?" Hermione's eyes widened with shock at the look on his face. "You were weren't you?"

Dumbledore sighed and rose to his feet.

"I am a coward Hermione, please don't hate me. I was only trying to protect you. I never meant to hurt you."

Hermione moved away from him not sure how she was supposed to feel. She loved Dumbledore like a father and hearing that he was going to die of course broke her heart. But the fact that he wasn't planning on telling her until it was too late, hurt her more than she could possibly say. Was she allowed to feel angry, hurt and betrayed, or was she supposed to forgive him. She wasn't quite sure yet.

Turning to look at him with a pained expression she said,

"I can't believe you never told me Albus. We could have spent more time with you instead of what, the days, weeks, months that you possibly could have left. I love you but right now I don't know how to feel. You're dying and I can't do anything to help."

She looked so lost and helpless and it pained Dumbledore to see her like that, knowing that it was him who had caused it.

"I'm so sorry Hermione, please forgive me." He asked.

She sobbed again before flinging herself into his arms, all the while remembering to be gentle with him.

"Of course I do, how could I not." She said, knowing that she couldn't be angry with him, not now that she knew that their time together was limited.

"Thank you." He whispered back.

Hermione knew things were going to be bad, but she hadn't realized just how bad the situation was. She should have noticed more; she should have figured it out. The fact that he had been wearing a glamour was now obvious to her. The fact that she could hear the odd slow rhythm of his heart beat, not to mention she could smell the change in him. Death was close by waiting, she could smell it. All the signs were there but she had been oblivious, she had been completely blind to them.

"How am I supposed to live without you? How is the world supposed to live without the great Albus Dumbledore?" She asked quietly.

He sighed and held her tightly in his arms.

"The world will manage believe me. But as for you, I will always be there for you my dear girl. Right here." He said pointing to her heart. "Never forget that."

"I love you Albus." She whispered amongst the sobs.

"And I love you too my dear daughter."

They both clung helplessly to one another as they sat in silence, simply basking in the moment. Hermione was home, she was where she was supposed to be at the moment, and nothing else mattered to her. They sat like that for a while, before Hermione finally pulled out of his embrace.

"It's late and I should go and leave you to get some rest. Morvin will be wondering where I am as well." She said, reluctant to part with him just yet.

"I am tired." Dumbledore admitted, seeing the hesitancy flash in her eyes.

Getting to her feet Hermione kissed his cheek fondly before squeezing his hand.

"Then go to bed and get some rest. I will see you in the morning."

"When will you tell Morvin?" It had been hard telling Hermione the truth, but telling Morvin would be so much worse. She had been through so much already, and they both knew that this would hit her hard.

"I'll tell her soon, but not tonight." She said, dreading that conversation.

He nodded his head in understanding before giving her one last hug. Watching her leave his office was hard but at the same time he was relieved that she finally knew the truth. Even though he was tired he couldn't go straight to bed, he had one last thing to take care of before he could retire for the night.

Moving to sit back at his desk, he pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write a letter with a shaky hand. Once he was done, he rolled the letter into a scroll before tying it onto Fawkes's leg.

"Take this to Volterra my friend, there's no need to wait for a reply."

With that taken care of, he watched as his magnificent familiar flew out of the window into the night sky. He couldn't do much to show Hermione that he was sorry, but at least he could do this one final thing for her. With nothing left to do, Dumbledore got to his feet and headed sluggishly to his quarters. He was beginning to get that familiar pang in his chest, signaling that death was moving closer to him. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he uncorked his potion before drinking it down, feeling the tightness being relieved. He went to bed that night feeling more content than he had done in a while. He was ready.

Meanwhile after leaving Dumbledore's office, Hermione staggered through Hogwarts in a daze. She couldn't believe that the most powerful wizard in the world was dying, and there was nothing she or anyone else could do about it. What was worse for her however, was the realization that Albus Dumbledore wouldn't be the last of her loved ones to go, sooner or later all her friends would leave until it was just her and Morvin left. What would they do then?

Reaching the door to Remus and Dora's quarters, she wiped away the tears and tried to pull herself together. It wouldn't do well for Morvin to see her looking so upset. She would ask questions, and Hermione didn't have the heart to answer them just yet.

Feeling her resolve melt, Hermione burst into fresh sobs as she fell against the door, clutching her chest as the pain of what she had heard sank in. Hearing the noise she had made, Remus opened the door to her, before rushing out to her side.

"I'm so sorry Hermione." He said, soothing her.

"He's, he's dying Remus. He can't die, he can't." Hermione said feeling angry now.

"I know love, but there's nothing we can do." He said sadly, kissing the top of her head.

"I can help him, but he won't let me." She sobbed.

Remus frowned, knowing the meaning behind her words.

"Hermione, Albus Dumbledore is a great wizard, but he is no vampire."

Hermione sighed, knowing that Remus was right, but still, it didn't help ease the pain any less.

"I know." She admitted.

"Look why don't you go and have some time to yourself. Dora and I will look after Morvin for the rest of the night."

Hermione looked at Remus and smiled sadly at him.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Of course I am Hermione; you've just had a big shock. You don't want Morvin to see you like this do you?" He asked.

"No you're right I don't. Thank you Remus." With one last squeeze, Hermione left not sure what to do now. She needed some time to think and to absorb everything she had just heard, so she headed to the one place that always helped her, and that was the Black Lake.

Making her way out of the school she pulled the flowers out of her hair and flung them angrily onto the ground, before taking out her pleat and letting her curls fall down her back.

She ran to the edge of the lake before letting all of her emotions out. She screamed, shouted, flung rocks into the water, before finally slumping onto a nearby rock. Here she sat for hours simply gazing out into the water, oblivious to everything around her.

* * *

Severus Snape arrived back from his disastrous date with Caroline. She was beautiful, there was no denying that, but she was a complete dunderhead in his opinion. It didn't help that Hermione was back and that thoughts of her completely consumed him the whole night.

When they arrived back at the castle, he had seen her sitting on the rock, her white dress illuminated by the moonlight. His heart sank at the sight of her, as she had obviously been told about Dumbledore's condition. Even though he was the greatest wizard ever to live, the man could be an idiot sometimes. He should have told Hermione about it when he first found out, not wait until it was too late. She deserved better than that.

Even though he wanted to go straight over to her, he had to be a gentleman and walk Caroline back to her rooms. Severus could see that the witch was obviously expecting more from the date, but he couldn't give that to her. Not now and probably not ever. She was simply not the one for him.

Stopping outside her rooms, he turned to face her, noticing the expectancy in her eyes.

"Thank you for this evening Miss Fenton I had an adequate time." He said half-heartedly.

She giggled at his words and fluttered her large thick lashes at him.

"Thank you Severus it has been wonderful but why end it here. Won't you come in for a cup of tea, maybe a glass of wine instead?" As she spoke she placed her hand suggestively on his hand, with the understanding that wine and tea was not all she was offering him.

"Thank you but I think I'll pass. I shall see you at breakfast in the morning. Good night." He said, pulling away from her.

Feeling disappointed but not quite defeated, Caroline called him back, before throwing herself into his arms and kissing him passionately. Her lips crashed against his and her tongue sought entrance, but he did not move to let her in. Instead he pushed her firmly away from him and wiped his lips getting rid of most, but not all, of her red lipstick.

"Good gods' woman must you be so brazen." He said, anger burning in his eyes. "I do not wish to go beyond this date with you. It was a mistake, and one which shall not be repeated believe me. Now good night." With that he turned around on his heel and stalked angrily away, wishing now he had worn his robes so that they could billow intimidatingly behind him.

Caroline stood shocked and flustered in his wake. Even though he hadn't responded to her kiss, she had felt a heat engulf her nonetheless. This only fueled her desire for him. She wanted him, and no matter what he said or did she would get her man in the end. Of that she was certain. Entering her room with a new determination, Caroline would decide what to do next to ensnare the elusive Potions Master.

Severus stormed through the castle, feeling angry at himself, at Hermione, at Caroline and at Dumbledore. Just when he was moving on something had to stop him in his tracks, pushing him right back to the beginning once again. Walking out of the castle his foot crunched on something, stopping him in his tracks. Looking down he saw the flowers that Hermione had in her hair earlier. The anger he felt towards her began to slip away at the sight of the crushed flower.

Was it right to blame her really, she hadn't planned on coming back here. She hadn't planned on finding out that someone she was close too was dying. She never asked for any of this to happen.

With a sigh he made his way down to the lake, his eyes locking onto the white of Hermione's dress. As he moved closer to her, he saw that her gaze was clouded and she was lost to her thoughts.

His breath caught at the sight of her. She looked beautiful and surreal, almost as if she was a dream. Her pale skin was illuminated by the moonlight, highlighting the tear tracks on her cheeks. Her long dark curls whipped about in the wind as her dress fluttered and caressed her skin. She was beautiful, vulnerable and perfect to him in this moment.

Knowing that she hadn't noticed his arrival, he reached out a hand and gently brushed a tear away with the pad of his thumb, shuddering at how cold she was too touch.

Startled by his action, Hermione pulled away only to lock gazes with the one person she hadn't wanted to see.

"Severus." She exclaimed, her voice sounding hoarse with crying. "What are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to be on a date?" She asked coolly.

Dropping his arm to his side, he moved closer to her, unable to keep any distance between them.

"I was but it ended early. We went our separate ways." He said, his eyes involuntary moving down to her lips.

She frowned and gazed at his lips, before turning her head away from him.

"Yes I can see that. You have some lipstick there on your lips." She said pointing to her own pair. "Did you know that?" She asked.

Severus cursed himself and wiped at his lips. Damn that blasted woman.

"The witch took it upon herself to give me a goodnight kiss. I made sure she knew that her advances were neither wanted nor welcomed."

Hermione snorted but refrained from looking at him. She couldn't help but feel the pang of jealousy rise when she remembered what it was like kissing those same lips herself.

"Again I ask what are you doing here?" Her voice was cold and distant, as her thoughts were still on the Headmaster.

Severus looked at her for a moment before sitting down next to her on the rock, enjoying the close proximity between them when he brushed up against her.

"I saw you sitting here all alone and thought I would come and join you. Can I assume that the reason you're here is because you've found out the truth about Albus?" He asked slowly, gazing at her from the corner of his eyes.

She sighed and began to ring her hands together in her lap.

"Yes he told me, eventually." She whispered quietly.

Severus gently brushed his fingers against her arm, noticing how she didn't flinch at his touch, instead she seemed to melt into it. He couldn't help the swell of hope flare up inside his chest, despite how much he wanted to fight against it.

"This may be an inane question but how are you feeling?"

Hermione stiffened and lowered her head, snorting at his question.

"How do I feel, honestly I have no idea how to answer that? Is it right that I feel angry at a dying man? Is it right that I feel hurt and betrayed at the fact that I was the last person to find out about him? That he had no intention of telling me at all until it was too late." Finally turning to look at him, she swiped a lone tear from her cheek and said, "I'm scared because I'm losing someone that I love, and that he is just the first one. I'll have to stand by and watch everyone I love who is mortal die before my eyes. And that realization makes me feel selfish. I'm worried because I have no idea how to tell my daughter. She loves Albus just as much as I do if not more, and it's going to crush her." Burying her head in her hands, she sighed deeply as she tried to compose her feelings. "Why didn't he tell me Severus? He said it was to protect me but I don't need protecting, I needed to know the truth. Have you any idea what that's like knowing that you are the last to hear news like this with regards to someone you love?" Her voice was full of pain and anger as she spoke, unable to hide the raw emotions that coursed through her.

Severus scowled at her, feeling his own anger rise to the surface. Moving away from the rock he began to pace in front of her in irritation, as he tried to reign in his feelings.

"How can you ask me such a question Hermione? Of course I know what that's like." Turning to face her, he moved forward trapping her on the rock. "The night you and your dunderheaded friends went to the Ministry, I had to wait on my own while you all fought. Was I not the last to hear that you had been hurt? When you were at Volterra and the Dragon Sanctuary, was I not the last to hear any news of you? When you came back to Hogwarts was I not also the last person to find out that you had a daughter?" Although he was seething with anger, his voice was silky and quiet, something that inspired more fear in students than a raised voice. He bent his head further and glared at her, only inches away from her lips. "I am always the last person to know, when it pertains to you Hermione. Doesn't that answer your question enough?"

Hermione didn't know what to say to that. She never knew that her actions had hurt him as much as they appeared too. She could feel his anger, his bitterness and his hurt pulsate from his very being. She could also feel his passion reaching to her through the timbre of his voice and the heated look in his eyes. He was so captivating and she felt as though he had her in a trance.

"Severus." She whispered, before his lips came crashing down on hers in a searing kiss. One of his hands snaked up her body and into her silky curls pulling at her hair slightly, as he tilted her head at an angle, so that he could gain better access to her mouth. While the other hand moved up to cup her cheek.

Hermione was lost, swimming in a sea of sensations. Her doubts momentarily forgotten as her mind went blank. All she could focus on was him and the feelings he was evoking in her. She knew it was wrong but at the same time it felt so right.

Before Severus could take a breath, Hermione regained her senses and all doubts came flooding back to the surface. Somewhat reluctantly she pushed him away before getting up from the rock, her head still buzzing with the feel of him.

"No, that can't happen again." She said, not willing to turn and look at him incase her resolve crumbled to the ground around her.

"Why, why can't it happen?" Severus asked, hating the fact that he was pleading with her.

She turned to look at him, a blank expression on her face as she shut down all of her emotions.

"Because nothing has changed Severus, you are still a wizard and I am still a vampire. We can't be together." It was the same argument she had used before, but it was still just as true now as it was then.

"Hermione-" Severus couldn't finish his sentence as a small growl sounded from behind him. When he turned to face whatever it was, he jumped backwards in fear as he was met by a pair of bright yellow eyes.

"Nafeesa it's alright. He isn't going to hurt me." Hermione said, trying not to laugh at seeing her surly ex Professor's mask slip.

Nafeesa heard her non-human and knew that what she was saying was true. The dark wizard cared for her and would never purposely hurt her. But that didn't mean she couldn't have a little bit of fun at his expense.

Slowly she took a step forward and let out a little growl, as Severus took several steps backwards, almost tripping over a branch hidden in the long grass. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest as the dragon advanced on him. He had seen the dragon at the Triwizard Tournament and at the battle in Romania, but he hadn't been face to face with one before. It was terrifying.

Hermione moved forward and jumped up onto Nafeesa's back. With one last growl at the dark wizard, Nafeesa took off with Hermione as they flew over the Black Lake. They could hear Severus calling out to Hermione but they ignored him.

"Don't turn back." Hermione said into Nafeesa's ear. She had just made a big mistake kissing Severus like that.

With Dumbledore's news, her broken promise to Remus and Severus's kiss, she needed some time away to think. To work through her confused feelings and turbulent thoughts. Honestly she was glad that Nafeesa had come when she did, otherwise matters could have gotten a lot worse.

Severus felt his heart sinking as he watched Hermione leave. He could have gone after her but there was no use, his pride could only be knocked so many times. With his own confused thoughts and feelings, Severus stalked back to the castle unaware that someone had been watching his encounter with Hermione the whole time. They had seen everything that they needed too and quickly had a plan forming in their mind, determined that Hermione Granger and Severus Snape would get what they both deserved in the end.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The following morning while the students slept soundly in their beds, Hermione picked Morvin up from Remus and Dora's quarters before Minerva showed them to their own rooms. Hermione didn't want to draw any more attention to herself or to Morvin for that matter, so they spent the morning unpacking their belongings, while all the staff and students enjoyed breakfast in the Great Hall before leaving for the summer holidays.

They stayed hidden in their quarters until the students had departed from Hogwarts and once the last one had left, Remus came to fetch them.

Now that it was daylight Morvin could see the castle in all of its glory and was even more in awe of it. Her favorite part so far was the enchanted ceiling, which looked cloudy and gloomy when they entered the Great Hall.

"Mother can we change the ceiling?" Morvin asked in her small quiet voice. "It doesn't seem very happy today."

Hermione smiled down at her daughter and stifled her chuckle. She had such a wonderful innocence about her sometimes, even after everything she had seen and been through.

"Oh I don't know if we can sweetheart. You read Hogwarts A History, what does the book say about the ceiling." Hermione asked with a small smile on her lips.

Morvin thought for a moment then said,

"The enchanted ceiling can only be changed by the Headmaster, as he or she is the only one with the power to change and control the magic of the school."

Hermione smiled proudly at her daughter and nodded her head in agreement.

"So what does that tell you then?" She asked.

Again Morvin took a moment to think then suddenly smiled up at Hermione.

"That I need to ask Grandpa Dumbledore."

Hermione laughed before looking down the aisle at the Professors already seated in the Great Hall, glad to note that two certain Professors were missing. She suddenly wondered if they were together, before quickly shaking that thought from her mind. Instead she smiled at all the faces before walking straight over to Dumbledore, giving him a hug and a small sad smile.

"Good morning Albus, how are you feeling today?" She asked trying to hide the sorrow that she felt.

He smiled down at her, the twinkle in his eyes looking dimmer than normal.

"I'm fine Hermione honestly, so there's no need to worry." He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and before Hermione could even form a reply Morvin quickly spoke up.

"Grandpa Dumbledore I was wondering if it was possible to change the look of the ceiling. It looks sad and unhappy today." She said, not realizing that the ceiling was reflecting the current mood of all the adults standing in the room around her, as they all knew something she didn't.

All eyes turned to look at Dumbledore, but he simply ignored their knowing looks and concentrated on his granddaughter. She was light and sunshine and exactly what he needed at the moment. To him she was nothing less than a breath of fresh air.

Chuckling he bent down to her and said,

"You know little Mo; I find myself agreeing with you. The ceiling does look a little bit unhappy doesn't it? Now that you and your mother are here I think it should be brighter and much happier, because that is how I feel."

Morvin smiled happily at him before hugging him tightly to her. Dumbledore saw Hermione move closer in order to remove the young girl from his arms, but he simply looked up and shook his head no. Hermione stopped at once and watched as Dumbledore held her tighter, savoring the moment between them as if it was their last. He would not be treated like an invalid yet, not while he could still breathe and especially not while his heart still beat in his chest.

"Thank you Grandpa Dumbledore. I'm happy too. We've both missed you so much." Morvin said, finally pulling away from his embrace. Not noticing the water pooling in his piercing blue eyes.

"Perhaps you and your mother would like to do the honors then." He smiled at seeing the confusion written on the small girls face and chuckled slightly. She really did like the book he had given her, and probably had it memorized cover to cover just like Hermione had. "Your mother has powerful magic, which I bet can change that ceiling as well." He said turning towards Hermione, who wore the same look of confusion as Morvin had. He knew exactly what she was thinking. "Simply picture what you want the ceiling to look like and let your magic flow out. Trust me Hermione give it a try."

Hermione looked up at the ceiling then down at her daughter as an idea formed in her mind. With a bright excited smile she asked,

"How would you like to change the ceiling then little Mo?"

"How?" Morvin asked with just as much excitement.

"Like this." With that Hermione lifted Morvin up and together they flew towards the enchanted ceiling. Stopping she took Morvin's small hand in her own, and together they placed their joined hands on the ceiling. Looking at Morvin she said, "Tell me what you would like to see."

Whispering into her mother's ear, Hermione pushed her magic through their joined hands and onto the ceiling, and watched with fascination as the grey clouds began to turn a beautiful vibrant white color. They seemed to part slightly revealing sunshine and blue skies. Then to finish off the picture not one but two colourful rainbows appeared.

Morvin gasped in wonder at the sight, before hugging her mother tightly exclaiming,

"It's perfect."

"I'm glad you like it sweetheart." As they landed back on the ground Hermione noticed that the small group had gotten slightly bigger, as Severus and the red headed woman he had been with the following evening, were standing watching her with mixed looks on their faces.

Ignoring their presence, she instead watched as Morvin ran back over to Dumbledore.

"Do you like it?" She asked excitedly.

Dumbledore chuckled and cupped her cheek gently, trying not to shudder at how cold she felt to touch.

"I love it but why on earth did you pick two rainbows instead of one?" He wondered curiously.

"Two rainbows are supposed to be lucky, and they're pretty." Morvin stated.

"They are very beautiful indeed." Dumbledore agreed, looking suddenly tired. "Just like you my sweet girl."

Morvin smiled proudly then whispered,

"The bright colors also remind me of your clothes." This innocent comment gained chuckles from the people surrounding them.

Before anything else could be said Caroline, who had been watching the tender scene with curiosity, suddenly rushed over to Hermione grabbing her hand and wincing at how cold she was. She shuddered and dropped it immediately before trying to compose her reaction, although everyone had already seen it.

"I am so glad to finally meet you at last. I have heard so many wonderful things about you." She gushed, although the fakeness in her tone said otherwise. "My name is Caroline, Caroline Fenton and I'm the new Muggle Studies Professor." She added.

Hermione got to see the woman properly for the first time, she was very beautiful there was no denying that. And Remus was right she did look so much like Lily Potter, except the one thing she seemed to be missing was the startling green eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Caroline." Hermione said, extending her hand out, knowing the reaction her gesture would cause. She was not disappointed, as she saw the look of apprehension and possibly disgust from the other woman. Lowering her hand she asked, "So how are you finding it here at Hogwarts?"

Hermione listened as the woman spoke of the castle, her classes and the students as well as the other Professor's with warmth and admiration, causing Hermione to feel a pang of jealousy. When she had been a student here, before that fateful night at the Ministry, she herself had dreamed of being a Hogwarts Professor one day after she had graduated. She never knew whether she preferred Muggle Studies or Arithmancy as those were her two strongest subjects. Those dreams were shattered however, after the incident at the Ministry. Now she didn't know what her dreams were, as a lot of things had changed since then for her.

Hermione had been completely lost in her own thoughts the whole time during Caroline's speech. She nodded her head here and there but heard none of the words that were spoken to her. She only noticed the other woman had stopped talking when silence filled the room. Her inattention didn't go unnoticed either, and Caroline couldn't help but feel insulted by the 'oh so great' Hermione Granger. For a brief moment, her dislike for Hermione flickered in her eyes, before she plastered on her fake smile once more.

"You know I have to say, you are not at all like how I imagined you to be. I've heard stories of vampires but you are nothing like them."

Hermione quirked an eyebrow at the other woman, wondering where she was heading with that line of thought. She had seen the look of dislike on her face, and if Hermione was honest she would admit to feeling the same thing about the other woman. There was just something about her that screamed of falseness and made her seem untrustworthy. At least to Hermione anyway.

"Oh and what did you imagine me to be like then?" Hermione asked.

Caroline gave her a smile and said,

"Well I've heard all the stories about vampires so I kind of expected to see black capes and pointy teeth. You do have the whole cold pale thing going on though. And your eyes seem normal too." She said squinting up at Hermione, to get a better look.

Hermione would have been insulted if she didn't find the woman to be so ridiculous. However, it was little Morvin who broke the tension between them, as she came and stood next to her mother, tugging on her top.

Caroline saw the little girl up close and gasped in surprise at seeing her, taking a frightened step backwards. She had pale skin, golden eyes and looked so much like Hermione as well. But it was obvious to see that she too was a vampire.

"Is that a child vampire?" Caroline asked pointing her finger directly in the little girl's face.

Hermione couldn't contain the small growl that escaped, as she moved Morvin to stand safely behind her.

" _That._ " Hermione hissed through clenched teeth. "Is my _daughter_."

"And my granddaughter." Dumbledore said with a warning note in his voice. He didn't like the way she had spoken to Hermione, although knew that she was big enough to look out for herself. But he would not tolerate the young Professor speaking to his granddaughter like that.

"She is my granddaughter also." Minerva said in her stern Scottish brogue voice, as she moved to stand between Morvin and Dumbledore.

"And she is our niece." Remus said, as he and Dora walked over to the small group, while Teddy ran towards Morvin.

The only person who didn't speak up was Severus Snape. He was nothing to either Hermione or the small girl so had no reason to say anything. He did however look down at the small girl, who was currently holding onto Hermione's leg and peeking out the side, looking directly at him. She gave him a small smile, as recognition flickered in her eyes. He could feel his lips wanting to quirk up into a small smile of his own, but instead he gave the young girl his famous Snape sneer. She didn't cower or hide like most students did however, instead she covered her mouth to hide a giggle from escaping, before burying her face into Hermione's leg. She was certainly a curious child and Severus couldn't help but wonder about her behavior.

Caroline, feeling stunned and put in her place, blushed furiously before stammering out an apology. The last thing she wanted or needed was to cause offense to the people she worked and lived beside.

"I am so sorry; I didn't mean any harm by that. It's just that I've never seen a vampire child before." Turning to look at the small girl, Caroline smiled and said, "Hello beautiful and what is your name?"

Morvin didn't like this woman, the feeling she got from her was bad. She wasn't stupid she knew what had just happened, and she knew that the woman didn't like her mother either.

Luckily she didn't have to answer the horrid woman's question as the doors to the Great Hall suddenly burst open with a loud bang, as a breathless Hagrid came stomping down the aisle, his gaze searching then landing on Hermione.

"Ermione, the students are away now and you promised." He said finally reaching them.

Hermione laughed at the sight of him.

"Relax Hagrid, I promised didn't I? I'm not going to let you down."

So with that the group split up with Severus striding down to his labs, as he had potions to brew and needed to get away from Caroline, Hermione and her daughter.

Dumbledore was feeling slightly tired so he and Minerva left to go and finish a game of wizard's chess that had been on hold for a few days now.

While Remus and Dora followed Hermione and Hagrid outside, watching as Teddy and Morvin ran and played happily together.

The afternoon was spent by an ecstatic Hagrid being introduced to Nafeesa and the centaurs. At one point he had been so overwhelmed by it all that he began to ball his eyes out and blow his nose loudly into a purple spotted handkerchief, to the amusement of everyone in the small gathering.

He was first struck by the relationship Hermione had with her dragon Nafeesa. It was obvious to everyone that they both cared and respected each other. Hagrid had always loved dragons, ever since he could remember. He found them to be majestic and intelligent creatures and hated how misunderstood they were. They were treated as nothing more than dangerous beasts and potions ingredients. But he was happy to see that was not the case between Nafeesa and her rider. He was even more in awe of Nafeesa, when she allowed him to stroke her beautiful scaly black skin and nuzzled her snout into his thick curly beard. This was something Hagrid would always remember with fondness.

Hermione also caught him up on how Norberta was doing at the Dragon Sanctuary. He was happy to hear that she was content where she lived, and was healthy and thriving in a safe calm environment. It also pleased him to learn that she had a rider of her own, someone who she had bonded with who would give her the care and attention she would need. This was all the information Hagrid needed to know. It was everything he could have wanted for her. He also wondered if Charlie would allow him to visit the Dragon Sanctuary one day during the holidays, and decided to write to him and find out.

Meeting Magorian's tribe was also one of Hagrid's highlights, it was such an honour and a privilege to be invited into the fold. He had already met the males of the group but that was before they had turned on him, over his outrage at the way they had treated Firenze. Even then he had never been trusted enough to get close to the females or the young. That was until Hermione had weaved her magic.

They had an incredible afternoon listening to the tales of the centaurs and listening to their folk songs. It was simply magical and what was even better was the fact that Magorian had apologized to Hagrid himself, and had invited him into the Forest anytime to see the tribe. He even said that the half giant was an honourary member of the tribe after everything he had done for them in the past.

When evening came the small group, minus Hagrid who was reluctant to leave the centaurs, headed back to the castle for dinner. Although neither Hermione nor Morvin could eat the delicious food, they could still sit in the others company.

It had been a while since Hermione had a proper catch up with Dora, so sipping at her red wine, she chatted away happily with her friend, while Morvin spent some time with Teddy.

"I'm so glad you came for a visit Hermione, because I was going to write to you, but now that you're here I can tell you to your face." Dora said with a small secretive smile.

Hermione quirked an eyebrow and looked at her friend expectantly, but of course she already knew what Dora was going to tell her. It was both a curse and a blessing having enhanced senses.

"Oh and what is that."

Dora looked at Remus, as they shared a proud loving glance, before he tenderly took her hand in his.

"It's still early days yet but we just found out that we're pregnant." Dora said beaming happily at her friend.

Hermione smiled before giving each of her two friends a hug.

"I am so happy for you both." She said, speaking the truth. When she thought back to her very first vision, when she saw what was to become of their future if she hadn't been changed into a vampire, she couldn't help but compare it to now. If she had never been changed, Remus and Dora wouldn't be here today, Teddy would have been left an orphan, and there would never have been a second child for them. Despite all the changes that had happened to her, she couldn't be help but be thankful for the life they all had now.

"Well it's all thanks to you really." Remus said, squeezing Hermione's shoulder.

She laughed and shook her head.

"Not quite thanks to me Remus, it takes two to tango and make a baby and I'm pretty sure I wasn't there." Hermione jokingly replied, causing Remus to choke and splutter on his drink.

Dora giggled beside him and patted his back.

"You know what I meant." Remus said, a small blush forming on his cheeks.

"I don't know if you've spoken to Ron or Harry yet, but I'm not the only one pregnant." Dora said cutting into her slice of roast beef.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. The truth was that since leaving Hogwarts, she didn't really have much contact with her two former best friends anymore. The day at the Ministry changed things between them and a gap had formed. Although she still cared about Harry and Ron, they were different people now, with different lives.

The last time she had heard from either of the two boys was about a year and a half ago when they told her that Harry had finished auror training and had married Ginny Weasley, while Ron was engaged to Lavender Brown and working with Fred and George in the shop. Apparently he had surprised everyone by having a good head for business. The two boys had become good friends with Draco Malfoy and his family, and he was now married to Astoria Greengrass.

Although Astoria had been in Slytherin and was a pureblood, she never had the same ideologies and beliefs as some people did in her house. She had managed to stay out of the War with Voldemort and not join his group of Death Eaters.

Remus and Dora shared a quick glance before Dora finally said,

"Well Harry and Ginny just had their first child, a boy named James Sirius and Draco and Astoria just had little Scorpius."

Hermione smiled when she thought back to the first vision that she had. She could see Platform 9 and ¾ clearly, and on it she saw Harry and Ginny waving goodbye to their middle child Albus Severus, who was just starting at Hogwarts. Also in the vision a courteous Draco Malfoy and Astoria were waving goodbye to their son Scorpius. The only thing that would be different now was that instead of her and Ron waving goodbye to their own two children Rose and Hugo, it would be him and Lavender saying goodbye to their children.

"Oh I see." Hermione whispered as realization hit her. She gazed down at her glass of wine trying to avoid the looks of pity from her friends. Even though she had Morvin in her life and didn't love Ron in that way, there was a small part of her that also longed for the future she should have had, and the children she should have carried. She would never experience that now, and hearing that Lavender Brown, someone who Hermione had disliked in school, would have the life she should have, stung a little. "How far along is Lavender then?" She asked, painting a small smile on her face.

"She's just over five months now. Hermione I'm so sorry I thought they might have told you themselves."

Hermione gave Dora a reassuring smile and shook her head.

"Honestly I'm not surprised really, I'm happy for them, really I am. But no, me and the boys aren't as close as we used to be. We grew apart when things changed."

Remus leaned over the table, swallowing the piece of food he had been chewing, before saying,

"You should write to them and let them know your back. I'm sure they would be happy to hear from you."

Hermione thought for a moment, before nodding her head in agreement.

"Actually I think you're right. Just because we're not as close as we used to be, doesn't mean we have to completely cut ties." Hermione said, smiling happily at her friends before looking at Morvin who was giggling at Teddy, as he changed his face into something that resembled a pig. "Would you mind looking after Morvin for a while, just so that I can go and send a quick letter?"

"Not at all Hermione, she will be fine with us." Remus said.

"Thanks." She said rising to her feet and heading towards her daughter. Kneeling down beside her she said, "Morvin I'm going to go and write a quick letter alright, would you stay with Remus and Dora for me."

Morvin smiled then kissed Hermione's cheek.

"Of course I will."

Hermione brushed her hand over Morvin's silky soft hair before standing to her feet.

"Thank you. Now be good and listen to what you Auntie Dora and Uncle Remus have to tell you." She warned, although she knew that Morvin didn't really need the warning. She was good like that.

"I will, I promise." She said sweetly.

"Alright then, now I won't be long." Hermione gave Morvin one last glance before heading out of the large wooden doors of the Great Hall.

Although she would normally listen to her mother and do as she was told, Morvin had been waiting patiently to do something ever since arriving at the castle. She had seen the surly dark Professor leave the table already and now that her mother wasn't there, she had the perfect opportunity to speak to the wizard she was incredibly curious about.

Standing up she headed towards Remus and Dora, feeling a tad guilty about what she was about to do, then said,

"I'm sorry I forgot to ask my mother a question. May I quickly go after her?"

Having no reason to doubt the little girl, both Remus and Dora agreed and watched as Morvin left through the Great Hall, following closely behind her mother.

Keeping her distance, Morvin quickly sneaked down to the entrance of the Dungeons before slowly making her way down the stairs. After having read Hogwarts A History, she had an idea of the layout of the castle and knew where the Potions Professor would be.

She could smell a foul odor in the air and guessed that the Potions Master must be brewing something, as it was the same odor she had smelt on him earlier. Following her nose, she made her way through the corridors before stopping at a large wooden door, where the horrible odor was at its strongest.

Feeling both curious and brave, she slowly and carefully opened the door, revealing the Potions Professor standing over a smoking black cauldron, stirring the contents gracefully.

Morvin had seen his picture many times before, having read her favorite book repeatedly over the years, so she knew what the man looked like. But he was nothing like the photos she had seen. He was much taller than she had expected, and was slender to the point of being skinny, and his hair looked lank and oily. His skin was pale and he had a large hooked nose. He was not the nicest looking man she had ever seen but he wasn't as scary as she thought he would be either. He kept giving her that scowl, which only caused her to giggle.

She watched the Master at work with wonder, noticing his slow even movements, which held an elegance she wouldn't have believed came from such a man.

Watching silently from the doorway, she waited until he had stopped what he was doing, not wanting to disturb him while he worked, before making herself known.

With a small cough, she watched in fascination as the man swirled around in a pool of black robes, his long wand pointed straight at her. His eyes narrowed at the sight of her, before he finally lowered his wand.

"What on earth do you think you are doing? Sneaking down here and disturbing me while I work. Have you any idea what you could have done?" Severus snarled, shocked at seeing Hermione's daughter standing in his doorway.

Normally students would have coward before him at his tone of voice, but Morvin didn't, instead she smiled and took a step forward, before closing the door gently behind her.

"I'm sorry Professor Snape, but I promise I'm not a complete dunderhead. I waited until you were finished adding the fluxweed to the potion and then watched as you stirred three times clockwise and five times anti clockwise." Taking a step forward again, she sniffed the air before saying. "I guess because of your use of fluxweed, you're making some kind of healing potion or perhaps a pain potion of some kind." She said confidently.

Severus was unable to say anything as he watched the girl step closer, spouting off facts just like her mother had done. If he didn't know any better, he would have said right then and there that the girl standing before him now was a younger Hermione Granger.

"How on earth do you know that?" Severus asked quietly. The truth was he was indeed making a healing potion, one for Dumbledore that would help strengthen his heart, at least for a while anyway.

Morvin turned large innocent eyes onto him and smiled, feeling pleased that she had somehow managed to impress the great Potions Master.

"My mother taught me of course. When we stayed in our beautiful house in Germany she always said it was important for me to learn about the muggle world, as well as the magical world, because she was a part of both. And although there are aspects of the magical world she couldn't teach me, since I'm not magical, she did teach me History of Magic, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Potions." She stepped closer to the cauldron and peered in, watching the liquid simmer and bubble, before turning her gaze back to the stunned Professor. "Mother taught me about the ingredients used and the properties of each one. Plus, we brewed some together, but there was only so much I could do, as mother did say that although it seemed that no magic went into a potion, there were times when magic had to be infused for it to work."

Severus couldn't believe the matter of fact way in which the child spoke to him. She was confident in her knowledge and ability, despite the fact that she was not magical by birth. Despite himself he couldn't help but feel impressed.

"You are so like your mother. Another insufferable know-it-all." He said, as a slight ache began to form in his chest.

Morvin covered her small mouth with her hand and giggled before looking back up at the wizard.

"I think I will take that as a compliment Professor Snape, as mother told me of how you used to call her that while she was at school."

Despite himself, Severus couldn't help but feel a slight warmth at her words. Hermione not only thought of him still but spoke of him, to her daughter no less. Feeling curious he asked,

"And what else did your mother tell you about me?" He hid his face behind his curtain of hair, feeling embarrassed about acting like a teenager.

Morvin smiled before sitting on one of the benches.

"She said lots of things about you sir. She told me how you were the strictest Professor she ever had, but that she admired you for this as you were the only one who made her want to strive to do better. She said she always wanted to impress you but never seemed able too."

Severus recalled the young and eager Hermione Granger in his class, and remembered the way she used to spout off facts and constantly wave her hand in the air. It used to irritate him to no end, until it stopped, and then he realized that he missed it.

"Yes, I seem to remember her behavior well." He said, with an impassive look.

"She also told me that you were the bravest man she had ever known and explained to me the role you played in the War. That was awfully brave of you sir." Severus was beyond shocked at hearing that and felt his heart swell with pride. Before he could say anything though Morvin carried on speaking, another trait that was so like her mother's. Secretly he was glad for this, as he didn't think he would be able to form any coherent words. "I also read all about you in Hogwarts A History, but I don't think that book did you any justice. Mothers stories were far better." She said.

Severus sat down on the bench beside her and said,

"Is that how you were able to recognize me? From my picture in the book."

Morvin giggled and shook her head.

"No, I had seen your picture before I read the book."

One of Severus's eyebrows rose as he listened to the young girl, and watched closely for any signs of dishonesty or deceit, but finding none.

"Which picture did you see before?" He asked curiously.

Morvin looked him straight in the eyes and said,

"My mother keeps a framed picture of you hidden in her bedroom. Sometimes when she thinks I'm not looking I see her pull it out and look at it. She always seems to have a sad look on her face though. The first time I saw her looking at it, I asked her about you and that's when she told me who you were. I then asked her if she looked at the picture because she loved you." Morvin broke eye contact with the wizard, knowing that she had said too much. She didn't think her mother would be very happy with her for telling him something so private and personal.

"How very Gryffindor of you, blurting things out like that." He said, despite the fact that he was curious to know the answer.

"Actually according to the sorting hat I'm a Hufflepuff." Morvin clarified.

"How did you…never mind." Severus said shaking his head. "So how did your mother answer your question?" Severus asked, his heart beating quickly in his chest.

Morvin sighed, then whispered,

"She said things were complicated."

At her vague reply Severus wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or frustrated. He knew it wouldn't do to dwell on his past with Hermione, as she had made things perfectly clear to him on where they stood. And he had tried, although not successfully, to move on. But sitting with her daughter now and hearing the things she was telling him, he couldn't stop that reluctant feeling of hope from blooming in his chest.

"She was right." He whispered softly.

Morvin turned her attention back to him and tilted her head slightly.

"Do you love her?" She asked just as softly.

Severus turned to her and frowned, before standing up abruptly to check on his potion. The last thing he wanted to do was bare his soul to a child, _her_ child.

"I think that is enough questions for one day." He said, in a voice that brooked no argument.

"I agree." Hermione's voice said from the doorway, causing both Morvin and Severus to turn and look at her. The former looked guilty while the latter schooled his features into indifference.

"How long have you been there?" He asked.

"Long enough." Hermione replied tersely before turning to her daughter, her hands on her hips and a frown on her face. "Morvin have you any idea how worried everyone was when you didn't come back into the hall. Remus had to come and tell me that you were missing. What on earth were you thinking going off on your own like that?"

Morvin looked down at her feet feeling duly chastised, then nervously whispered,

"I'm so sorry mother I didn't mean to worry anyone, I just wanted to see the Professor brewing."

Even though Hermione was annoyed at her daughter's behavior, she couldn't help but admire Morvin's thirst for knowledge, which was so much like her own.

"You should have told someone Morvin. And you should have asked the Professor, not just simply turn up like that."

Morvin turned towards the Professor, but didn't look at him out of embarrassment.

"I'm very sorry Professor Snape."

Severus stood tall and imposing, as he said,

"Do not do it again."

"Now let's go back upstairs so that you can apologize to everyone else for worrying them like that." Holding the door open, she watched as Morvin made her way towards her, before quickly stopping to look back at Severus.

"Professor Snape, could I come back and help you brew some time." She asked with a hopeful voice.

The truth was that Severus didn't want this girl invading his personal space. He didn't want anything to do with her, as she reminded him so much of her mother. The safest thing for him to do, he knew, was to distance himself from both Hermione and her daughter. But for some reason he just couldn't find it in himself to actually do it. He enjoyed speaking with the young girl, and was curious to see how far her knowledge in potions went.

Without looking at Hermione he said,

" _If_ it's alright with your mother. And _if_ she knows where you are. And _if_ I'm not busy, then perhaps you may." He busied himself, chopping and slicing the next set of ingredients, not wanting to see the looks on either mother or daughters face.

"Thank you Professor Snape." Morvin said happily, leaving the potions lab and skipping back up the corridor.

Hermione looked at Severus's back, not really sure what to say after overhearing the question Morvin had asked him. She knew her daughter could be inquisitive but she hadn't realized just how much she could be at times. Sighing deeply Hermione said,

"I'm sorry about Morvin's behavior Severus. I promise it won't happen again." She hesitated for a moment in the doorway, before leaving to follow her daughter.

Severus glanced behind him to see that Hermione had already gone. Laying his hands on the workbench and gripping on tightly until his knuckles had turned white, Severus tried to calm his beating heart and make sense of his confused feelings. He had no idea why he had just agreed to allow the child back into his lab but suddenly wished he hadn't. He was nothing more than a fool.

* * *

The three Volturi leaders sat in the dome room conducting a small meeting after having just held court. A male vampire had been found guilty of almost exposing himself, after killing half a dozen prostitutes in Holland. He hadn't covered his tracks and drew attention to himself and to the killings. He was of course found guilty and had just been disposed of. This had been the first time in months that they had to carry out court, as things in the vampire world were still quiet and settled.

Marcus was currently having a discussion with Caius while Aro was speaking with Heidi, who was obviously flirting with the Volturi leader. Since he and Sulpicia had been divorced, and since she had been banished from Volterra to live in a coven in Egypt, Heidi had been trying to tempt the leader back into her bed. He obviously enjoyed the attention that he was receiving from her, but so far had made no advances to her otherwise. This didn't deter Heidi however; she knew that it was only a matter of time until she had him once again. Especially now that Hermione was out of the picture, or so she thought anyway.

A loud beautiful melody filled the room, causing everyone to look up. Flying above them was a large beautiful bird with red and gold feathers, a letter tied to one of its legs. It circled above them overhead, before elegantly landing on Marcus's shoulder.

The bird sang another beautiful tune before gazing at Marcus, with piercing intelligent black eyes. Once satisfied Fawkes lifted up his leg, holding the letter out for the vampire to take.

"Marcus do you know whose bird that belongs to?" Aro asked, wondering who in the magical world, other than Hermione, would be writing to them.

"I honestly have no idea." Marcus replied, untying the letter from the bird's leg, before it flew back into the air and out of the open window. "But I guess we'll soon find out."

Turning the letter over, he noticed the red wax seal with the large 'H' on it. From that he concluded that the letter must be from Hogwarts, as it was the only magical place he knew of that started with the letter 'H'. With his curiosity piqued, he carefully opened the envelope before pulling out the piece of parchment, revealing unfamiliar handwriting.

With a quick glance over the short missive Marcus rose to his feet, forgetting that he was currently in company.

"Marcus brother what is it?" Caius asked, with some concern.

"The letter it's from Albus Dumbledore." He said, turning worried eyes onto his two brothers. "I must go to Hermione at once."

"Is something wrong with her?" Caius asked, while Aro could only watch on. He didn't want to appear eager about hearing any news from her, so he had to hold his tongue.

"Not her, Albus. He is dying and Hermione isn't taking the news so well. Morvin doesn't know yet according to this." He said holding the letter up in one pale hand. "I must go to her, she needs me." He went to leave but was quickly stopped by Aro who grabbed his arm.

"Brother I understand that you wish to go to her as soon as possible but you cannot leave just like that. We need to leave someone in charge to look out for the Palazzo."

"We." Marcus asked, with some confusion.

"Yes." Aro said giving Marcus a look, conveying to him that he would not be challenged on what he was about to say next. "I will come with you, so will Demetri and Felix. Everyone else will stay here."

Marcus gave Aro a relieved smile.

"Thank you brother."

"Master may I come?" Heidi asked urgently. She had gotten this far with Aro, she wasn't about to let him ruin it by going back to Hermione.

Aro turned to her, a frown marring his beautiful face. He wanted to tell her no, understanding her reasons for wanting to join the small group. But the minute he looked at her beautiful face, her power prevented him causing the word no to instantly slip from his mind. Instead he found himself saying,

"Very well then." Gazing around the small group he said, "We shall leave at dawn."

He turned and strode away, leaving a smug and delighted Heidi in his wake. Despite this small setback she was even more determined to get what she wanted, and at this moment in time she wanted Aro Volturi. Her power was that of attraction, and if she needed too she would use this power to manipulate him into getting what she desired. She just had to be patient a little longer.

With the decision now made, the small group would be leaving for Hogwarts at dawn. And after four years of not seeing her, dawn couldn't come quick enough for Aro. He was done waiting for her to come back to him. Instead he would go to her and remind her exactly what she was missing.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Dolores Umbridge wasn't a happy witch and despite her love for cats and the colour pink, she wasn't a nice witch either. Ever since Kingsley Shacklebolt had become the new Minster of Magic after the defeat of Voldemort, her life had been on a downward spiral.

She used to be the Senior Under-Secretary to not one but two Ministers of Magic. First to her beloved Cornelius Fudge, who had been driven out of power when the people realised he had made a mistake and that Voldemort had indeed returned. That bumbling fool Albus Dumbledore and his wretched little sidekick Harry Potter had been right, and because of that had garnered the support of the people, who felt guilty at having not believed them in the first place.

Once Cornelius was out of power, she had been suspended for some of the things she had done at Hogwarts, while Dumbledore had been gone. The wretched troll Minerva McGonagall had made sure of that, although luckily for Dolores the sour witch didn't know half of some of the things she had done while she was Headmistress, otherwise she probably would have gotten more than just a suspension.

But it was she, Dolores Umbridge, who had gotten the last laugh, or so she thought anyway. As once her suspension had been lifted, she had been able to grovel and claw her way back to the top, serving under the imbecile Rufus Scrimgeour.

Dolores loathed that pathetic weak wizard and wondered how on earth he had ever managed to become Minister of Magic. He pandered to the people and to Albus Dumbledore. He was a soft touch and Dolores couldn't stand him. In her eyes he was no Cornelius Fudge and never would be.

Luckily for her however, Rufus had made the mistake of not doing anything to protect the people from Voldemort and his death eaters and so was also driven out of power. Because of his loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix, and his help in fighting against the Dark Lord's death eaters, Kingsley Shacklebolt was announced the new Minister of Magic. The Order, Dumbledore, his wretched sidekick and the hybrid mudblood had saved the day once again much to the disgust of Dolores.

Thinking of them, especially the filthy mudblood, caused a swell of anger to build, making her snap her quill in half when she held it too tightly. The first time she had set eyes on the girl, she had felt an instant hatred for her. She was too pretty, too intelligent and too quick with a wand. As a filthy mudblood Dolores believed that they should act less than purebloods, but when it came to Hermione Granger she proved all the purebloods wrong. Mudbloods weren't supposed to be smarter or better at magic. They were an abomination, a dirty stain in the magical world that needed to be cleansed.

Although Dolores hadn't voiced her agreement in the Dark Lords beliefs out loud, she certainly did agree with them privately. Those beliefs were further strengthened for her the first time she had seen the mudblood, who happened to be friends with the Potter boy as well.

She had somehow managed to trick Dolores that night they had ran off to the Ministry of Magic, causing her to be carted off with the centaurs. She still shivered when she thought of them. They were nothing but nasty vicious mongrels who needed put down, and she would have loved to have been the one to crush them, but they had overpowered her. She did vow though to one day get her revenge and even now, still dreamed of unleashing that revenge. She just didn't know how.

Dolores thought back to when she had been told what had happened that night at the Ministry, she had felt such delight at hearing of the blood traitor Sirius Black's demise. But the best piece of news had been when she had found out about the mudblood being attacked. A part of her had wished and hoped to hear of her death too, but that was not to be. Instead she had found out that the mudblood had been turned into a vampire, of all things. So not only was she a filthy mudblood but she was also a dirty hybrid. It was a divine punishment for her.

The mudbloods trick that night wasn't the only thing, or the worst thing that she had done to Dolores. No the worst thing she had done was take a valuable object from her person. Once again the filthy mudblood had somehow tricked her way into Dolores's office and had stolen Salazar Slytherin's locket from her. Of course when she first spotted it Dolores had known that it was dark, as she could feel the dark magic radiating from it. The power of it lured her and made her want to protect it. Its darkness had reached out to the darkness inside of her, and when she put it on the power surged through her body and made her stronger. But Hermione Granger came along and stole it from her. So she wanted to get even and take something back from the hybrid.

Putting her plan into motion, Dolores had whispered things into Rufus Scrimgeour's ear about the danger Hermione posed, about how they should destroy her before she could destroy them. She spoke of the vampire turning to the Dark Lord and possibly biting him to make him immortal and even more powerful than he already was. At first, after much persuading, the gullible Minister agreed with her and was going to capture the vampire, until Dumbledore had intervened once again, thwarting her plans. The old fool always had to stick his nose in and always had to see the good in everyone, even when they were filthy hybrids.

The thing that sickened Dolores the most was the fact that Dumbledore was right and that Hermione was good. She proved that when she helped the blasted Potter boy destroy the Dark Lord once and for all. Her story was told, and her bravery and loyalty was proven to the wizarding world. And afterwards it was disgusting to see them fawning over something so unnatural.

But people were fickle and no-one knew this better than Dolores Umbridge herself. Hermione Granger didn't only intrigue the wizarding world but had also gained the attention of the Volturi, the most powerful group of people in the world. Everyone knew of vampires, although most of the information they knew were just stories and legends. The truth however was so much worse than they could have possibly imagined.

The Volturi were known amongst those who were deemed important members of the Ministry, for they didn't want normal magical folk to know, as the Volturi would be feared, and quite rightly so. Although they kept themselves to themselves and tried to hide their existence, they were still more powerful than all the witches and the wizards in the world combined.

They were immortal with some having special powers of their own. They were fast and were also resilient to magic. Magical people couldn't destroy a vampire, which made them even more dangerous. But the Volturi were the rulers of vampires, and they had heard of Hermione and coveted her, a trophy to add to their collection.

And so they had broken the divide between the magical world and their world, and had crossed over, making themselves known in order to get what they wanted. And they had wanted Hermione Granger.

Dolores had kept a close eye on things and even had the displeasure of meeting the leader of the Volturi himself, only in passing of course, but that had been enough to drive fear into even her.

As expected the Volturi's arrival was met with overwhelming fear, and despite the fact that Hermione Granger had helped save the magical world and was therefore a hero, the people still turned against her. Especially when they found out about the confrontation at Hogwarts.

That had been the nail in Hermione's coffin so to speak. Magical people didn't want the likes of 'her' kind in their world. So eventually she had left the magical world altogether and from what Dolores had heard had gone to live with the Volturi. That was until the rumour mill started to make its rounds again.

Since Hogwarts had broken up for the summer holidays three days ago, Dolores had heard adults discussing Hermione Granger's return to the school, which was witnessed by hundreds of students. Apparently she had just showed up in the Great Hall to a warm welcome from Albus Dumbledore and the rest of the staff, before the children were ushered out. Then she wasn't seen again.

Perhaps it had just been a fleeting visit, or perhaps she was still at the castle now. One way or another Dolores had to find out the truth, she had to know. The filthy mudblood, who she considered to be her nemesis, had brought shame to her and she wanted nothing more than to see the hybrids demise.

Looking around the office, Dolores's toadlike face scrunched up in disgust. While she was the Senior Under-Secretary, she had a large beautiful office, and the most gorgeous view out of the window. She had room to move about and rich beautiful furniture providing a luxurious atmosphere, almost a home away from home. She was second in charge, below only the Minister of Magic himself. Life had been good and she had enjoyed her work immensely. That all changed when Kingsley Shacklebolt came into power. How she loathed that man.

He wanted to change the Ministry, improve upon it and make it move away from the pureblood ideologies. Even though she didn't want to admit it, his plans for improvement were working. The Ministry was a more settled and understanding place, which she of course hated.

Kingsley, as a member of the Order and friend of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, had known about the things she had done during her time at Hogwarts, and because of that was punished for it. One of the first things he done when reorganizing the Ministry was demote her from Senior Under-Secretary and make her a Department Head. Normally she wouldn't have minded that responsibility if it had been the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, how she would have ruled that Department with an iron fist. But no. Instead he had put her in the one place that she despised the most, with the people she hated the most. She had no choice but to accept the position, because if she had dared refuse it, she would have been sent straight to Azkaban, which to her was a fate worse than death. So she had accepted the position and became the Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

They all laughed at her, mocked her, because everyone knew of her dislike for creatures such as werewolves and centaurs. She worked against them not for them. _She_ had been the one to make the anti-werewolf legislation that stopped those who had lycanthropy like Remus Lupin from getting full time jobs. It was _she_ who had wanted to round merpeople up and tag them before putting them on a register. Although this idea had been squashed she had never stopped fighting for it. But now she had to show support for these animals and fight on behalf of them, not against them.

Not only did she have to go against her own beliefs but her beautiful large open spaced office had got taken off of her. She was chucked down into the bowels of the Ministry, and literally flung into a small cramped poky little room, with no windows and no fresh air, with walls that were a horrid sickly green colour. The room was so small that the only furniture she had was her small desk and a chair at either side. She had a magically enhanced filing cabinet and a withered pink flower on top. What was worse was the fact that she could only fit three pictures of her beloved cats on the wall.

Even though she was the Head of her department, the people who worked below her had no respect for her authority, they didn't like her one iota and she in return didn't like them. They laughed at her when they knew she was in earshot, they undermined her at every turn, and pushed for new legislation that she could not fault. She hated it here and promised herself that one day she would be free of this place and these people who were not worth her time or her energy. She just needed to find a way out first.

A knock at her office door brought her quickly out of her musings. Straightening up her desk, she looked expectantly at the door before calling 'enter.' A young woman, perhaps in her late twenties, came walking in to stand in front of Dolores's desk. She held her posture straight and had a defiant tilt to her head.

"And what can I do for you?" Dolores asked, with a sickly sweet voice.

The woman looked down at Dolores, and to the older witch's surprise, she saw a glint of respect and admiration twinkle in the younger woman's eyes.

"First of all Madam Umbridge may I say that it is a privilege to meet you, I have heard all about you and the work you carried out, before you were put here of course." The younger witch grimaced as she glanced around the poxy little box room that was more befitting of Filch than the witch sitting before her now.

"Thank you for that but again I must ask what can I do for you?" Dolores asked again, trying not to let her frustration show. Despite the young witch's words of admiration she did not like time wasters. She had enough problems at the moment without dealing with that kind of behaviour as well.

"May I?" The woman said, indicating the vacant chair.

"If you must." Dolores replied tersely, before watching the witch cast a cleaning and cushioning charm on the chair before sitting down. She would have felt rather insulted if it wasn't for the fact that the chair had never been used and was therefore in a neglected condition.

"Thank you Madam Umbridge. Now I guess you will be wondering why I'm here?" The young witch said.

Dolores really wanted to roll her eyes at the obvious statement, but that kind of action was not befitting of a witch like her. Despite her position in this wretched place, she still had some pride left, as little as it was.

"I am curious." She instead replied, in her sickly sweet voice.

The young witch smiled then said,

"I'm here because I wish to report something awful to you. Something that I find deeply concerning and which could possibly be dangerous to magical people and to muggles."

Raising an eyebrow at the young witch Dolores said,

"You may go on dear."

"Well you see Madam Umbridge a couple of days ago I witnessed Hermione Granger, as you know is a vampire, return to Hogwarts while it was still in session. But that is not the thing that concerns me the most. You see Miss Granger did not come alone." Dolores now felt intrigued at the mention of her nemesis's name, and steepled her hands together as she listened to young witch intently. "She brought a dangerous dragon into the school grounds, while children were there. I couldn't believe my eyes. And it's not just any dragon but a Hungarian Horntail."

At this news Dolores's eyes widened with greedy surprise. How interesting, she mused.

"And you saw this dragon with your own eyes?" She asked, watching as the young woman nodded her head.

"Oh yes, and it is still there living in the Forbidden Forest with the centaurs no less. They have all become friends, the Professors and centaurs I mean."

Dolores had to hide her shiver when the woman mentioned those beasts, even now she still had nightmares about her ordeal when facing them. Centaurs were territorial and had an obvious dislike for magical folk. A dislike that they didn't hide. So to hear that they were now suddenly friendly with the staff at Hogwarts, was both unsettling and intriguing. It seemed something was going on, but what she didn't know. For now anyway.

"But that's not all." The young witch said, her eyes sparkling with delight.

"There's more." Dolores said trying to hide her own glee at the news.

"Yes Hermione also came with a child."

This piece of information caused Dolores to gasp with surprise and outrage.

"You mean to tell me that the child is…"

"Yes an immortal just like Hermione herself."

Dolores had always been prim and proper, she was able to school her emotions and act like a professional at all times, despite whatever circumstances she may be in. But hearing this news, especially if it was true, made her want to dance and sing with glee. This was the news she had been waiting for, the news that would finally open the door to her getting revenge on the people who had wronged her.

"Are you sure?" Dolores asked, her voice filled with excitement.

"Of course, I seen her with my own eyes."

"And do you know if it was Miss Granger who had turned her?"

If Hermione had turned the child then she would have broken the law of the Volturi, meaning death for her. If she simply harbored the child then she was still breaking Volturi law, although it wasn't as big a crime. For Dolores she hoped that it was the former.

"I'm not sure, they haven't discussed that in front of me. Although I do know that Dumbledore and most of the other staff members such as Minerva, Remus and his wife Dora, all knew about the young girl. They see her as family." The young witch said with absolute disdain.

Dolores didn't seem to hear it however, as her little pink mind was too busy taking all this information in. Dumbledore had known, which meant he too had also broken the law. Oh, she was going to enjoy bringing him and his friends down, at long last. Despite this however, there was still one nagging question.

Frowning at the woman in front of her Dolores asked,

"But wasn't Miss Granger living with other vampires?" She asked not wanting to mention the Volturi, in case the other witch didn't know about them. "If that is the case then surely they already know about the child?"

The young woman shook her head, causing her beautiful red hair to sway.

"Apparently for the last few years Hermione and her child have been living in a private secure house in Germany alone, with Albus and Minerva visiting regularly. She hasn't been in contact with the vampire world for a long time."

A large smile broke out on Dolores's toadlike face as she absorbed this piece of information like a sponge. So Hermione Granger had broken the law, and so apparently did Albus Dumbledore and his friends. Hearing this made her day, but now the question was what to do about it. She could report it of course but knew if she did, it would only be swept under the carpet, just like a lot of things did when it came to these people. Or she could deal with the problem herself, secretly of course.

She wasn't sure how yet, but she was in contact with a few dark wizards of her own, wizards who still respected her and owed her. With their help they could surely come up with something. Something that would finally bring an end to Albus Dumbledore and his cohorts, the people she believed had ruined her life and reputation.

"Thank you for bringing this information to me Miss…." She said expectantly.

"Miss Fenton, Caroline Fenton." The redheaded woman replied smugly.

"Miss Fenton. I promise that we will look into the situation thoroughly and will contact you for any more information. May I ask what you were doing at the school in the first place?" She asked curiously, since the woman had first-hand knowledge of what was going on.

"Of course. I am a Professor at the school Madam Umbridge. I teach Muggle Studies there."

This was even better, as Dolores could use the conniving woman to help her. For some unknown reason to her, Miss Fenton seemed to have a clear dislike for Hermione Granger, not that Dolores could blame her. Whatever caused this dislike in the first place didn't matter to her, as it would only work in her favour.

"Would you be willing to help me with this matter then?" Dolores asked.

The witch quirked one elegant eyebrow up, as she tried in vain to hide her satisfied smile.

"I will help in whatever way I can Madam Umbridge."

"Excellent." Dolores said, showing her own smile. "Perhaps you can write to me, reporting on what is happening with Miss Granger and her child. It would be a good idea to keep updated on them, in case they tried to leave before anything could be done."

"I can do that. Thank you for your time Madam Umbridge, and for all of your help. I hope justice will be served." Caroline stood up and stretched her hand out for Dolores to shake, which she did eagerly.

"No, thank you Miss Fenton, believe me I will make sure that Miss Granger gets what she deserves."

"Good." Caroline simply said, before leaving the pokey office. She needed air and to breathe again after doing everything she had set out to do.

After seeing Severus and Hermione kiss that night at the lake, the night she herself had been on a date with Severus, she had promised herself that they would both get what they deserved. This promise was reinforced when Hermione had been so obviously rude to her.

So she had come here to see Dolores Umbridge, knowing that she was someone who could be relied on. After all she was the one person who hated Hermione Granger more than Caroline herself did. She had read all the history books regarding Dolores Umbridge and Hermione Granger's famous feud. She had also heard the stories amongst her peers, as they were classed as being legendary after all. She knew about the large blow to Dolores Umbridge's career, and knew that she would probably be a woman after revenge. And honestly by the older witch's reaction Caroline was not at all disappointed. Together they would ruin Hermione Granger. And by ruining her, Severus would be free to pursue once again. The plan was perfect and Caroline was satisfied that she had done the right thing. They would all get what they wanted in the end. Well except for Hermione of course, but that was just a bonus in Caroline's eyes.

After Caroline Fenton had left her office, Dolores Umbridge calmly poured herself a cup of tea in her chipped floral China cup, before adding five spoonful's of sugar to it and stirring. Sitting down on her magically pinked chair, she leaned back taking a generous sip, before placing the cup back down on its matching saucer.

She had all this information now, she just needed to find a way to put it to good use. With that in mind she pulled out a sheet of parchment and a new quill before writing down a quick missive.

Pulling out her small wand she replicated the letter four times, before calling out to her owl. It didn't take long for the small tawny owl to arrive and once it did, she carefully tied all the letters to the leg, before giving it the names of all people he was to deliver it too.

She watched the owl leave with satisfaction before resuming drinking her cup of tea, while running everything she had just heard through her mind. The information she had would be detrimental to Dumbledore and his friends. But Dolores didn't just want to ruin them with petty revenge, no, she wanted to destroy each and every one of them. And the information she had just received gave her the opportunity to wipe out Albus Dumbledore, Hermione Granger and the centaurs if she played things right. And she would play things right, as she would make sure things were done her way and not the Ministries way, because this battle was personal.

But little did she know that things would not be as simple as she hoped they would be. For a letter had not long been read and a small group of Volturi vampires were getting ready to leave Volterra and head once more to Hogwarts.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

When Hermione had sent the letter off to Harry and Ron, the most she had expected was an eventual reply. She knew that their friendship wasn't as strong as it once was, as they had all moved on with their lives. But she still cared about them, as they were a huge part of her life growing up.

So when Hedwig arrived with a letter for her, she was both shocked and pleasantly surprised to read that they were excited about her return, and couldn't wait to see her. Harry asked Hermione if it would be alright for them to visit and if it was, to ask Dumbledore to get the elves to prepare some rooms, as the whole Weasley tribe were to be expected. She was to send a reply with the answer straight away, so that they could make arrangements.

Stunned, Hermione had gone to visit Dumbledore in his quarters that morning to see how he felt about it.

On the one hand Hermione was excited to see the Weasleys again as she did genuinely miss them, but on the other hand she wondered if the whole Weasley tribe coming would be such a good idea. She had noticed how tired and withdrawn Dumbledore seemed lately, and knew that his heart condition was taking a toll on his body. So they took to spending time together in the mornings then after his afternoon nap, as he rarely left the safety of his quarters or the castle anymore. He didn't want to be a burden on anyone and hated it when everyone fussed over him. So it was because of this that Hermione worried about the Weasleys coming.

She also didn't know if they were aware of Dumbledore's health and knew how boisterous the Weasleys could be. She wondered if Dumbledore would be able to handle them, both mentally and physically. This, she knew, would be answered soon enough.

Knocking on the door to Dumbledore's office with an excited looking Morvin by her side, she heard Dumbledore's breathy sounding 'enter' before they stepped in. As always Morvin ran straight to him, wrapping her small arms around his neck before giving him a big hug. Every time Morvin had done this previously, Hermione tried to reach out and stop her, but Dumbledore always shook his head no. So she simply stopped trying now, as obviously he didn't mind and relished these precious moments spent with her.

Sitting down on the chair in front of his desk, she watched on as her daughter spoke to him as normal. She knew how much he enjoyed these times, as she could see the twinkle in his eyes sparkling brightly, just like before.

Hermione felt guilty at the fact that Morvin was yet to be told about Dumbledore's condition. But how could she possibly tell her daughter that one of the people she loved most in the world was dying and would soon leave them?

Even though she couldn't remember her past, Hermione still felt that Morvin had already seen and been through too much. She didn't want to add any more pain to her life, and wanted nothing more than to protect her. But as she looked at Dumbledore now, she could see his health deteriorating and saw the effect it was having on his appearance. It wouldn't take long for Morvin to realize that something was wrong, and start asking questions.

Hermione wanted to make sure that Morvin knew the truth before things got to that point. But when was the right time to tell a child news like that, she didn't know.

"And how is my little Mo this morning hmm?" Dumbledore asked, as Morvin firmly planted herself onto his lap.

"I'm great grandpa, mother said she's going to take me to visit Diagonally today."

Both Hermione and Dumbledore laughed at Morvin's slip-up.

"You mean Diagon Alley." Dumbledore corrected with a small smile.

Morvin furrowed her eyebrows and frowned at him.

"Yes grandpa that's what I said."

Hermione laughed at the matter of fact way in which her daughter spoke before saying,

"Sweetheart why don't you go and look at grandpa's books, there's something important that I need to ask him."

Kissing him on the cheek, Morvin hopped off his lap and skipped happily over to the books to see what she could find. Picking one out, she sat on the couch and quickly became lost in the book 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard.'

Noticing the book Morvin had chosen, a flicker of recognition crossed over Hermione's face as she remembered the importance of it from her vision. Seeing that look, Dumbledore reached over and placed a gentle hand on her arm, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Hermione what's wrong?" He asked tentatively.

She sighed then turned her gaze to him before saying,

"The book, it contained the Tale of the three Brothers and it was about the Deathly Hallows, and you wanted me to realize that in order to help Harry. So you left it to me in your will after you…." Her voice trailed away when she thought of his death then, and his possible death now causing frustration to burn inside of her. "Nothing Severus and I did mattered. You still end up…" She couldn't say the word 'dying', for she still held hope that they would come up with something, however unlikely it was.

Dumbledore sighed before squeezing her hand fondly, he didn't want to discuss this, not here and especially not with Morvin in the room mere meters away.

"Hermione my dear, remember we are not alone." He said looking pointedly towards Morvin, who was luckily still focused on reading the book.

"You're right." Hermione whispered, rubbing her hands across her face. "I'm sorry."

Dumbledore smiled then said,

"And how can you possibly say that nothing you done mattered. Of course it mattered. Look at the lives of everyone you care about now. Severus, Remus, Dora, Fred, mines." He held up his hand quietening her before she could say anything. "And before you argue with me, my life did change for the better. As I said before, without you I wouldn't have gotten the family I wanted. I wouldn't have seen the people I care about live. That is enough for me." He gave Hermione a small reassuring smile before popping a lemon drop in his mouth. Wanting to change the subject he said, "Now, I guess this wasn't what you came here to discuss." His baby blue eyes twinkled brightly, as if he knew something that she didn't.

Sitting back in the chair Hermione pulled out the piece of parchment from inside her jacket and said,

"Actually no it wasn't. I came here to discuss this with you. Remus gave me the idea to write to Harry and Ron, which I did and this morning this was delivered to me."

"Excellent." Dumbledore exclaimed happily. There was nothing more than he wanted to see before his death than the Golden Trio reunited, just like old times.

"Yes well in the letter, he asked me to ask you if it would be alright if they all came to visit for a while."

"They all?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Yes, erm all of the Weasleys I believe. Albus I know that its sudden notice and it's alright if it's too much, I can just tell them…"

He cut her off quickly before she could even finish the sentence. Frowning he said,

"Nothing will please me more than having them here, why on earth would it be too much?"

"Because of your health." Hermione whispered, chancing a quick glance towards Morvin, who was luckily still engrossed in the book and not paying attention to their conversation.

Again he frowned at her.

"Hermione, perhaps having my friends and loved ones around is exactly what I need right now, because Merlin help me the next time I see them again will no doubt be at my funeral."

"Albus, please don't say things like that." Hermione could feel a sharp pain in her chest at hearing his words.

"Why not it's the truth. I have accepted what is too come Hermione and I am not afraid. You shouldn't be either. Now I will let the house elves know about the Weasley's coming, goodness knows they will be happy to have something to do now that the students are away." He said with a small chuckle before sobering once again, as he looked at Hermione intently. "Please my dear girl, stop fussing and worrying about me. Enjoy your time here at Hogwarts and I shall enjoy what little time I have left, with the people I love and care about the most. It's all I want."

Hermione couldn't help but feel guilty at hearing his plea. She felt incredibly selfish at wanting to keep Dumbledore safe and away from all the people who mattered to him. It wasn't her intention to do this of course, she was only trying to look out for him after all. But by doing this, she was completely forgetting to put his wants and needs first.

"Albus I'm so sorry." She said, her voice a mere whisper at her mistake.

"Hush now, let us not speak of this anymore. I will let the house elves know about our guest's arrival, and you will write to Harry and let him know that they are all welcome to come whenever they wish. It will be good to see them again. Now," He said clapping his hands together with excitement. "You and Morvin go and enjoy your trip to Diagon Alley, but be careful. And I shall finish off some paperwork that I was doing. Honestly, you can't imagine how much I have to do, considering the school is closed for the holidays." He said with a small smile, though Hermione could see that it was more for her benefit than for his, as he was clearly hiding something from her. But she wasn't about to pry. "And Hermione, if you have time could you possibly visit Sugarplums Sweet Shop and pick me up a cauldron cake and a box of Bertie Bott's every flavor beans please? I feel my sweet tooth can no longer be satisfied by lemon drops only."

Hermione gave him a genuine smile and shook her head fondly at him. It was good to see that some things hadn't changed with regards to his sweet tooth.

"Of course I will Albus. I guess we shall see you later then." Rising up from the chair she turned towards Morvin and said,

"Little Mo it's time to go." Morvin was so absorbed in the book that she didn't even acknowledge Hermione speaking to her. "Honestly it's like she's lost all of her senses." Hermione said with an amused chuckle. She too had often found herself in that position, only to be yelled and shook by either an irate Ron or Harry. Walking over to her daughter, she placed her hand on her shoulder and squeezed until she finally had Morvin's attention. "Come on my little bookworm it's time to go."

Morvin, startled by the sudden presence of her mother, looked from Hermione to the book she had been engrossed in, with a look of longing on her face, before sighing.

"Fine." She said, reluctantly putting the book back on the shelf before following her mother towards the door.

"See you later Albus." Hermione said with a small wave.

"I'll be counting on it." He replied with a chuckle.

"Bye grandpa," Morvin said, looking back towards the desk.

"Bye bye little Mo." He said fondly.

Once the two of them had left and the door had closed firmly behind them, Dumbledore pulled out a set of documents that he had hidden amongst the stack of parchment on top of his desk.

Sighing, he ran his fingers through his beard before picking up his quill to finish what he had started. Laying out his Will and Testament, he thought for a moment then chuckled slightly. He had already given Morvin a couple of things that were precious to him, but he decided to add just one more thing to the list. And that was the book she had just been reading.

Hermione said that in the vision she had, he had passed the book to her in his will, so he thought it was quite fitting that he should pass it down to Morvin instead.

He should have made these changes a while ago, but the truth was he hadn't come to terms with things until Hermione and Morvin had come to Hogwarts. Only now was he able to put quill to parchment.

* * *

After stopping by their quarters so that Hermione could quickly write a short reply to Harry. She sent Dante off with the letter attached to his leg, before they headed out of the castle. But just as they had walked through the large doors of the school, Morvin grew excited and before she could stop herself yelled,

"Professor Snape wait up please."

Following her daughter's gaze, Hermione looked to see Severus already in his traveling robes heading towards the castle grounds. He stopped and twirled around when he heard his name being called, and waited until Hermione and her daughter had caught up to him. Unable to look at Hermione just yet, he focused on the little girl by her side instead.

"You yelled." He said sarcastically, causing Morvin to giggle.

"Mothers taking me on a trip would you like to come with us?" Morvin asked innocently.

Severus felt a soft flutter in his chest, while Hermione couldn't help but feel impressed at how sly her daughter was being.

"I'm afraid I cannot, as you see I have some errands of my own to take care of." He said, glancing sideways at the look of relief that briefly crossed over Hermione's face. Despite the fact that he wouldn't mind terribly spending some more time with Hermione and her daughter, he didn't want to cause any discomfort to her either.

At his answer Morvin frowned then said,

"Where are you going too? Maybe we can come with you instead."

Trying to stifle his chuckle at the young girls Gryffindor brashness, Severus put on his best sneer, knowing already that it didn't faze her at all.

"Not that it is any of your concern, but I am heading to Diagon Alley to visit the apothecary there."

Morvin grew excited again at hearing his words.

"That's where we're heading to. Mother wants to show me around Diagon Alley, so maybe we can go together after all." She said with hope in her voice.

Severus looked up to meet Hermione's piercing gaze, and saw uncertainty flashing in her eyes. He didn't want to make the situation anymore awkward than it seemed, but they were all heading to the same place. He could use that as a reason to spend more time with them.

"What do you say Hermione? It makes sense since we are all heading the same way."

Hermione looked from Severus's expressionless face, to Morvin's excited one and felt herself relenting. How could she possibly say no?

"Alright then." She replied, smiling at Morvin's enthusiastic squeal. Rolling her eyes at her daughter, the trio set off across the grounds of Hogwarts and towards the apparition point.

While Hermione walked in silence, Morvin had engaged Severus in a conversation about the apothecary and what ingredients he was needing. After telling her his list, Severus then asked Morvin what each ingredient could be used for, and what possible potions he could be brewing.

Just like her mother, Morvin began to delve into a long explanation about each one and got them all correct, which was not in the least bit surprising considering who her mother was. If only all of his students could be that adept, he thought wistfully.

"Here we are then." Hermione said, breaking up the conversation between her daughter and the Potions Professor.

Severus looked at her with some confusion before saying,

"Diagon Alley is too far away for apparition; we will need to floo from the Three Broomsticks to the Leaky Cauldron. Have you forgotten this already _Miss Granger?_ " Severus teased.

Hermione glanced at him and shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Of course I haven't _Sir_ but I can side along with both of you. If that's all right I mean?" She asked hesitantly.

Even now, there were times Severus forgot just how powerful Hermione was. When she wasn't fighting a large army of vampires, or destroying a group of flea bitten werewolves, she seemed so normal and relatively harmless.

The haunting words she had said to him four years ago, suddenly came back to him. He had disbelieved her words then, but now he realized there was some truth to them. He hadn't fully accepted her, not then and probably not now either. Because if he did, then these small realizations shouldn't have surprised him still.

"Of course, that would be acceptable." He finally said, after breaking out of his musings.

With that decided, Morvin jumped up on Hermione's back, wrapping her arms around her neck, and her legs around her waist. Once she was comfortable, Hermione looked at Severus and waited to see how he would position himself.

He knew that for short journeys it was acceptable to just hold the person's hand or arm, but for longer journeys, such as this he would need to have a good hold of Hermione, to stop them from splinching or from him letting go. So with no other option he moved closer, before wrapping his arms securely around her waist below Morvin's legs.

He heard her small gasp and felt his own excitement grow at being this close to her. He also enjoyed hearing that he still had some kind of effect on her. He moved his head so that it rested on her shoulder and closed his eyes, waiting for the pop of apparition and the familiar pull on the naval.

It didn't come straight away, as Hermione found herself momentarily distracted. With Severus's hands around her waist and her nose buried in his chest, the pure scent of him filled her senses. At one point she had been driven almost to madness by his smell, wanting nothing more than to drink from him. But now the scent of him brought a different want to her. Now she wanted nothing more than to bask in it, to commit his own unique smell to her mind.

"Mother are we going now," Morvin's soft voice asked, cutting through Hermione's thoughts like a knife.

"What- yes of course let's go." Hermione said, clearing the fog from her mind. Concentrating hard on her destination, the three of them vanished off the grounds of Hogwarts with a small pop.

If she had waited to leave a moment or two later, Hermione would have seen a small group of people in black cloaks make their way towards the castle. But instead she remained oblivious as the three of them reappeared in a quiet area of Diagon Alley.

Reluctantly Severus let Hermione go, taking a small step backwards, as he watched Morvin jump off her mother's back. He knew this was where they would split up, but found himself not wanting to leave them just yet.

Looking around Morvin frowned then asked,

"Where are all the shops and the people?" So far she wasn't impressed and thought Diagon Alley would be much more exciting than what it was.

Hermione chuckled at her daughter and shook her head slowly.

"Honestly Morvin, you are so impatient. This isn't the main part of Diagon Alley silly, it's just a little street off to the side. I thought it would be quieter here than apparating straight there." Taking her daughter's small hand she said, "Follow me."

Not knowing what else to do, Severus walked beside Hermione and Morvin as they stepped into the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. Unable to hide his small smile, he watched as Morvin looked around with awe, her mouth hanging open with shock.

"Well." Hermione said, smiling down at her daughter. "What do you think now?"

Turning a beaming smile onto Hermione, Morvin whispered,

"It's amazing, it's so much better than I thought."

Although Hermione was focused on Morvin, she could feel the inquisitive gazes of the people around her. Although it was summer, the sky was overcast with thick heavy clouds, so she didn't need to worry about her or Morvin sparkling. For those who didn't know her, they probably wouldn't suspect who she was, which meant hopefully they would go unnoticed.

Sensing her thoughts, Severus put a gentle hand on Hermione's shoulder and said,

"If you would like, I could stay with you and Morvin. I doubt anyone will want to come near you both with me here." He gave Hermione his best intimidating Snape sneer, but she could see the amusement flicker in his dark eyes.

Giggling and feeling the awkwardness finally begin to melt between them, she nodded her head and said,

"Thank you Severus that would be lovely, but you really don't need us to slow you down."

He gave her a small frown before saying,

"I have no plans other than coming here, so you wouldn't be slowing me down."

"Thank you then, that would be nice."

Morvin looked between the two adults then smiled when her mother agreed. She liked the dark wizard, even though he always tried to look big and scary. She knew however that deep down he was a really a nice man and wasn't as bad as he tried to appear.

"Does that mean you can show me the apothecary?" She asked with excitement.

Severus looked down at Morvin and gave a mock sigh.

"I suppose that is only fair." He agreed.

So with that the three of them set off heading to their first stop which was the sweet shop for Dumbledore. Along with his cauldron cake and jelly beans, Hermione and Morvin also picked up some other delicious sweets for him.

Looking at all the different treats in their colourful packages, Morvin couldn't help feel a little envious. She had loved sweet treats as a human, not that she ever got many, so coming to a place like this knowing that she couldn't eat any saddened her.

Seeing the look of disappointment in her eyes Hermione squeezed Morvin's hand gently then said,

"I know how you feel sweetie. Before I first found out I was a witch, I was never allowed sweets or anything nice like that as my parents were dentists and strict on me. So the first time I saw the sweet shop here, I thought it was heaven." Hermione said wistfully, remembering that first time. "I was so excited I picked out so many sweets and after working my way through them all I became ill." She said with a slight laugh. She could still remember being sick for two days and having such a sore stomach. "I never gorged on that many sweets again. They look good yes but believe me, eating sweets is very bad for you."

Morvin sighed, before turning big eyes to look at her mother. She knew that she meant well but her story didn't help ease the longing.

"I know but I never got the chance to gorge on sweets before. My parents couldn't afford treats like that."

Severus, who had been watching the exchange between mother and daughter, lay his hand on Morvin's shoulder then said,

"My parents were the same Morvin. We were poor and what little money we did have my father spent all of it on other things for himself. I never had any sweets as a child, even when I went to Hogwarts"

Morvin turned her attention to Severus and took his hand in hers.

"You should treat yourself now then."

Severus sighed and turned to look at the sweet confectionary, a small smile quirking his lips.

"Perhaps you are right."

With that he paid for a small bag of sour sweets and popped one in his mouth, closing his eyes to savor the bitter, yet sweet taste. He hummed in pleasure, just as he hit the really tangy center.

Morvin looked on smiling before her smile turned into full blown laughter, as green smoke poured out of the Potions Master's ears and nostrils. He grimaced slightly as he crunched the rest of the sweet. With a soft cough he turned to Morvin, as the smoke began to disappear.

"Those are my favorite sweets, but I keep forgetting how sour they taste."

After visiting the sweet shop, the three of them headed to Flourish and Blotts, where they spent what seemed like hours browsing all the books. All three of them enjoyed reading and were devoted bibliophiles, so it was no wonder that after their trip to the book shop, they each left with a small bundle of books.

Until Hermione, Morvin was never really interested in books. This was partly because books were another luxury her parents didn't invest in, so she never got the chance to read anything. But when Hermione had introduced her to the world of literature, she got lost in the stories themselves and loved learning new things. Hermione always encouraged her to read, because she herself was a bookworm. Although normal muggle books were captivating to Morvin, magical books were so much better. The illustrations moved and the words always seemed to change on the pages' every time you picked it up to re-read it. The best thing of all however, was that magical books were full of information you could never have imagined in the muggle world.

Their next stop, after the book shop, was Slug and Jiggers apothecary. Even though Morvin was excited about being shown all the different ingredients by Severus, what she had not thought of, was just how badly it would smell. Before they had even reached the shop, Morvin could smell the rancid stench of all the ingredients get stronger the closer they got. Inside was worse however. Not only did the sense of smell assault her, but the sight of seeing jars full of pickled creatures and tubs full of crawling insects, was enough to make her stomach churn.

"Mother can we please get out of here." She begged, before she heaved the contents of her stomach onto the floor embarrassing herself.

With a grimace, Hermione told Severus they would wait outside for him and that he was to take his time. He could only nod his head as he watched with confusion as they exited the shop.

Once outside, Morvin heaved a sigh of relief before inhaling the clean fresh air, settling her stomach in the process.

Hermione knew what would happen when they entered the apothecary, so looked on at her daughter with some amusement.

"Not what you were expecting was it?" She asked with a chuckle. She too was glad to be out of there, as the smell was overpowering even for her.

"That was disgusting." Morvin admitted, a look of disgust etched on her face. "I never want to go back into another apothecary again. But poor Severus though, I was looking forward to him showing me all the ingredients." She said with a slight pout.

"Perhaps if you ask Severus nicely, he will show you around his own storeroom. It will still smell bad, but nothing compared to what it was like in there."

At hearing this Morvin beamed up at her mother with excitement.

"Do you think he will show me around?" She asked hopefully.

"Only if you're good and ask nicely." Hermione replied, squeezing her daughter's shoulders.

Looking around them again, Hermione's attention was suddenly drawn towards the store front of Ollivanders. Since arriving back into the magical world she had not thought of the wandmaker who had helped her all those years ago. Fingering the soft wood of her wand guiltily, Hermione took Morvin's hand and tugged her towards the shop.

"Come with me, there is someone very special I would like you to meet." She said with a soft smile.

Pushing the door to the shop open, she heard the familiar tinkling of the door chime, before looking around the empty room, at all the dusty boxes lining the walls.

"One moment please." An unknown voice said from the back of the room. Before Hermione could even form a reply, she watched in surprise as a young man in his thirties came sliding through from the back, standing on a moving pair of ladders. "Sorry about that, now how can I help you today?" The young man asked with a pleasant smile.

Hermione looked him over with a curious eye. He looked like a much younger, more handsome version of the Mr Ollivander she remembered, so wondered if he was a family member.

"I'm sorry but I was wondering if Garrick was around. I would very much like to catch up with him." Hermione asked, noticing the sad glint flash in the young wizard's eyes as she spoke.

"I'm sorry Miss but my grandfather passed away five months ago. I run the family business now." He said softly, looking the woman in front of him up and down. "May I ask how you knew him?"

Hermione was shocked to say the least. Mr Ollivander had died five months ago and no-one had thought to tell her. Here was yet another thing that had been kept from her.

"I'm so sorry I just can't believe no-one told me. I've been living abroad for the past four years and have only just returned." She said sadly.

The young wizard reached out and patted Hermione's hand gently, before withdrawing it quickly at how unnaturally cold she felt. It was because of that, that realization hit him. Moving quickly from behind the counter to the door, he put the closed sign up before looking at a small bronze statue that sat on the counter. Shocked and excited he looked from the statue to the woman, before saying,

"You're-you're Hermione Granger. Thee Hermione Granger aren't you." He said walking up to her with his hand extended out to her. When she only nodded her head, the young wizard smiled warmly at her and said, "It is such an honor to finally get to meet you. My grandfather spoke very highly of you Miss Granger. He told us how you saved his life from a deatheater attack. He also told us how it was you who gave him the money to fix his shop after it was almost destroyed. We owe you so much, which is why he commissioned the statue of you. So people wouldn't forget what you had done for him and for our family's business."

Hermione looked at the statue of herself then shook his hand graciously, giving him a soft smile.

"Please call me Hermione and believe me it was nothing. Your grandfather was a good man, and he gave me something that saved my life. Helping him with the shop was the least I could do."

The young wizard's eyes widened with understanding.

"Your wand." He whispered, with awe sounding in his voice. At Hermione's small nod, he ran a shaky hand through his chocolate brown hair and said, "May I see it please. Grandfather told stories about your wand and how you came to have it. Other than the Elderwand, which you know all about, it was one of the most powerful wands ever made." He said with excitement.

Hermione smiled and pulled out her wand to show him. Although he stepped forward to get a better look, he did not touch it. He could feel the power of the wand emanating from it, and didn't want to risk being flung across the room.

"So beautiful." He whispered. "I can feel its power and its loyalty towards you, it seems that you have used it well." He said with a small smile. "My grandfather would be pleased indeed." He spoke of his grandfather with so much pride and honor, that it warmed Hermione's heart to see.

"Yes your grandfather gave me so much good advice with regards to it." She caressed her wand lovingly one last time before putting it away. "I never thought I would be able to wield a wand again after what happened, until your grandfather helped me. He just seemed to know." She said fondly.

Once again the young wizard's eyes widened with realization.

"You were turned into a vampire." He said, with no hint of fear or disgust evident in his voice. "Grandfather told me about that, and about how you still went on to save us all from the Dark Lord. We all owe you so much."

Hermione gave a small sigh and shook her head,

"No-one owes me anything. I didn't do much, only what I could."

He gave her another small smile.

"So humble too." He whispered quietly. "You done us all proud regardless."

Hermione turned her gaze towards Morvin, who was looking at her with so much love and pride. Following her gaze, the young wizard gasped in surprise at seeing the small girl. It was obvious that she too was a vampire.

"And who might this young lady be?" He asked, his voice soft and kind.

Turning to look at the friendly young wizard, Morvin said,

"Hello Mr Ollivander I'm Morvin, Hermione is my mother." She said with a proud defiant tilt to her head.

The young wizard chuckled at her and held out his hand for Morvin to shake.

"I'm very pleased to meet you, and your mother of course. But please feel free to call me Geoffrey. Mr Ollivander was my grandfather, and I don't feel old enough to be called that yet."

Morvin giggled at his words, before something outside caught her attention.

"Look mother there's Severus." She said, tugging on Hermione's jacket.

"I'm so sorry Geoffrey but we really must be going now. I am so terribly sorry about your loss. As I said before, your grandfather was a good man."

Geoffrey walked over to the door, before holding it open for her.

"Thank you for your kind words Hermione, and please feel free to visit me again. It truly was an honor to finally meet you." He clasped his hand over hers, trying not to notice how cold she was.

"Thank you Geoffrey." She whispered, just as the sound of a throat clearing could be heard from behind. Turning to look at the newcomer, she was met by the angry scowl of Severus, as he looked disapprovingly towards Hermione's hand, which was still in Geoffrey's.

"I was wondering where you had gotten too." He said, his voice sounding icy cold.

She frowned at his odd behavior, then pulled her hand out of Geoffrey's.

"I'm sorry Severus but I came here to see Mr Ollivander only to find out that he had passed away five months ago. You can imagine how surprised I was since no-one seemed bothered to tell me." Hermione said her own voice sounding angry and clipped. Dismissing Severus, she turned back to Geoffrey, who was looking on with mild amusement. "Thank you Geoffrey, and again I am so sorry about your loss. We may pop by again some other day."

Picking up her hand, he kissed the smooth cold skin before saying,

"It would be an honor of course." Not failing to notice the angry jealous scowl of the feared Potions Master, Geoffrey had to contain his chuckle as he made his way back into the shop.

He of course had heard all about Severus Snape as well, although thankfully he had not gone to Hogwarts and faced the Professor first hand. So it was rather amusing to see him look so besotted and jealous over Hermione. She of course was stunning, and seemed to have a good kind heart, but he wondered if the dour wizard's feelings were returned. It was certainly an odd thing to witness, and he wondered if a relationship between the two of them was even possible. Only time would tell it seemed.

Severus and Hermione walked back to the apparition point in silence, both lost in their own thoughts as Morvin looked between them, wondering what had just happened.

Once they had reached the point Morvin climbed onto Hermione's back, just as she had done before. Without saying anything, Severus too got into position, his body much tenser and less relaxed than it was the last time.

"Hold on." Hermione warned, before the three of them apparated, re-appearing on the grounds of Hogwarts.

Climbing down from her back, Morvin skipped on ahead as Severus and Hermione followed closely behind. Not wanting the awkward silence between them stretching any further, Severus suddenly said,

"I am glad you came back Hermione, despite the circumstances. Your friendship does mean a lot to me, and it has been a pleasure meeting Morvin. You have done a wonderful job with her."

Shocked at hearing his kind words, Hermione stumbled only to be caught by him. He held on to her arm and steadied her back onto her feet, before asking if she was alright.

She tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and gave him a small smile before saying,

"Thank you for your words Severus, they mean so much to me, just as you do. I don't want us to be strangers, we've been through too much together." She felt almost shy as she spoke.

"I never asked you, how long do you plan on staying for."

Hermione looked sad and sighed, then said,

"As long as Albus needs me."

Severus nodded in understanding, but at the same time felt his heart sink. Of course she wouldn't stay at Hogwarts, she had only come here because of Albus in the first place. Without him, there was no reason for her to remain.

"What will you do after…" He whispered, leaving the question unasked, for they both knew what he meant.

"Morvin and I will head back to our home in Germany, maybe visit Charlie and Phil in Romania. Of course you are welcome to visit us there too, just like Minerva, Remus and Dora."

Before he could reply to Hermione's invitation, Morvin's excited voice suddenly cut through their conversation, drawing their attention to her.

"Look mother it's grandfather."

Stopping in her tracks, Hermione looked to where Morvin pointed too and saw Marcus, Felix, Demetri and Albus leave the main doors of the castle.

Feeling overwhelmed at seeing the people she loved the most here unannounced, she gasped out loud and took Morvin by the hand, before using their vampire speed to get them to the small group.

As soon as she reached them, both she and Morvin flung themselves at Marcus, who chuckled warmly at them.

"Hello my precious girls, I have missed you." He said picking Morvin up, before turning his gaze to look at Hermione

She smiled warmly at her father, feeling the tears begin to pool in her eyes.

"We have missed you so much too." Hermione whispered, her voice thick and cracking with emotion. "What are you all doing here?" She asked, turning to embrace Felix and then Demetri.

"Albus wrote to me, saying that you missed us." Marcus replied, careful of what he was saying as he knew that Morvin didn't know about Dumbledore's condition still.

Looking at Dumbledore who looked frail and tired, she hugged him as gently as she could, before whispering 'thank you' in his ear, loud enough for just him to hear.

"Think nothing of it my girl, it is the least I can do for you." He said sadly, covering her cold hand with his slim, pale withered one.

"So my little witchling, are you going to show us this amazing school you've told us all about then?" Demetri asked, casually flinging an arm around her shoulder.

"First we catch up, then I'll give you the tour." Hermione replied with a chuckle as the small group of people headed indoors.

Through all of the excitement at seeing her family, Hermione had completely forgotten about Severus, who was left walking across the school grounds alone.

He had watched the happy reunion from a distance, feeling slightly jealous at seeing the reaction the group had gotten from both Hermione and Morvin. He knew that she saw the other vampires as family, but they were a part of her life that he would never get to be part of.

As he made his way past the lake, he suddenly wondered if Aro was here too. He hadn't seen him with the others and he doubted that the leader of the Volturi would stay away from Hermione like that.

The moment that this thought had entered his mind, Severus felt his skin tingling as if he was being watched. Turning around he let his gaze wander over the surrounding area, before catching sight of two cloaked figures standing across the other side of the lake.

His eyesight wasn't great but from the distance he could make out Aro, and a beautiful tall woman by his side. So he had been right after all, the vampire was close by, but apparently avoiding being too close to Hermione.

He watched with interest as the female lay her hand on Aro's arm, drawing his attention to her, almost like a lover would do. With a backwards glance from both the male and female vampire, Severus watched as they used their vampire speed to disappear from view.

Curious, Severus thought, wondering if the male vampire had a new paramour. If he did then the next question was; did Hermione know? With this new information Severus once again began to make his journey back to the castle. During the whole walk across the grounds, he could still feel the tingling sensation of someone watching him. But when he stopped to look around, he saw nothing and no-one. However, the minute the doors to the castle closed behind him, the feeling of being watched suddenly vanished. Curious indeed, he thought.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Hermione and Morvin spent a couple of enjoyable days with Marcus, Demetri and Felix. Although the occasion was tinged with sadness, Hermione enjoyed having her family staying at Hogwarts. She enjoyed having both her worlds together like this.

As the days passed however Dumbledore, despite his best efforts at putting on a cheerful brave face, began to weaken. His health was deteriorating quickly and it was almost at the point where Hermione had to tell Morvin the truth of what was going on. But like most things, it didn't go as she had planned.

The morning she had intended to tell Morvin, was disrupted by a loud raucous entering the halls of the castle. Dumbledore, Minerva and Severus, as well as some other Professors who stayed over the holidays, were sitting eating breakfast and chatting away with the small group of vampires, when the noise suddenly interrupted them.

"What on earth is that?" Minerva said, with a small frown upon her aging face.

"I believe," Dumbledore began, his eyes twinkling madly putting some life back into him. "That our guests have just arrived."

"Guests." Minerva exclaimed, as Severus put on his best scowl.

He had not been looking forward to Potter and Weasley's return to the castle after Hermione had told him. Although he had gotten over his feud with Potter senior and Potter junior, the last thing he wanted was the two dunderheads walking the halls of Hogwarts once again.

All eyes turned to the large double doors of the Great Hall as they suddenly burst open. The first people to enter were Harry, walking alongside his wife Ginny, who was carrying a sleeping James Potter. Next to them was Ron, who was talking loudly with Harry and laughing, his arm wrapped protectively around a pregnant Lavender, who seemed to be glowing.

Hermione couldn't help but feel the sharp pang of regret at the sight of her, knowing that in another lifetime that would have been her standing there instead of Lavender. The feeling quickly passed though, when she saw the look of complete happiness on both their faces. How could she be envious of them for that?

Behind the four of them was Molly Weasley, who was currently slapping one of the twins across the head, while the other twin looked on laughing, a devious smile on his face. Arthur just simply looked on at his family with an amused smile of his own.

At hearing the excited chatter coming from the Weasleys and seeing them again after all these years, Hermione couldn't help but look on with fondness. She had truly missed them all.

To Hermione's shock and delight however, behind the group of Weasleys was Charlie walking hand in hand with Phil. She thought they were still in Romania at the Dragon Sanctuary and couldn't believe that they were here with her now.

Rising to her feet Hermione rushed over to them, feeling slightly shy and nervous. Even though she had seen them that day at the battle, she hadn't seen them since and had only contacted them via letters. Now she didn't know what to say or how to act in front of them, as so much had changed between them all. But she needn't have feared however, not with the boisterous Molly Weasley there.

Seeing Hermione, Molly barged her way through the group, careful of both Lavender and Ginny, before rushing over and embracing Hermione in a tight motherly hug.

Unable to stop herself, Hermione returned the hug gently, letting the happy tears run freely down her face.

Stepping back, but not letting go, Molly ran a critical eye over Hermione, before bestowing her with a warm smile.

"Hermione dear I must say you look absolutely wonderful. It is so good to see you again." Pointing her finger directly in Hermione's face, as her warm smile quickly faded, she suddenly began to scold Hermione. "Hermione Granger next time you leave Hogwarts don't you dare make it another four years to come and see us. You are a part of this family, you always have been and always will be. Do I make myself clear?"

Sniffing at her words, and quickly wiping the tears from her cheeks, Hermione smiled shyly and nodded her head.

"Yes Molly and thank you. I have missed you all so much."

With her smile quickly returned Molly squeezed Hermione's shoulder before moving out the way to allow Arthur in.

"It's good to see you again dear." He said hugging her before stepping away, allowing the twins in next.

"Hello..." Fred began.

"Beautiful." George added.

"How have..." Fred said.

"You been." George finished, before they both descended on her at the same time.

"I've been good. Better now at seeing you two again." She said with a chuckle as they let her go.

"Hear that George, she's missed our devilishly good looks." Fred said with a grin.

"And our sparkling personalities." George finished off, causing Hermione to chuckle. She always did love the twins banter, and no-one ever made her laugh quite like them.

"Out the way you two I want to see my girl." Charlie said, as he and Phil playfully shoved the twins out of the way. "Hey stranger." Charlie said giving her a tight hug. "We've missed you at the Dragon Sanctuary."

She pulled away from him and rolled her eyes, a smile clearly on her face though.

"It hasn't been that long." She said kissing his cheek first then Phil's.

"From going to see you every day, to months in between, it feels like an eternity to us." Phil added.

"Honestly you guys, stop making me feel bad." She hugged them both tightly again then said, "But truthfully I'm glad you're both here, it wouldn't have been the same without you guys."

During her time at the Dragon Sanctuary, she had seen how much love was shared between Charlie and Phil. Although they were open about their relationship in front of everyone who lived with them, Charlie took a long time in admitting it to his mother.

He knew how she could be sometimes, and knew that she wanted only the best for him, which meant marriage, children and all the works. So he was nervous about telling her the truth about his sexuality and his relationship with Phil, in case the news broke her heart.

So he put it off and put it off until finally Hermione persuaded him to tell Molly. Despite her bossiness, and her slightly meddling methods, Hermione knew that deep down all Molly Weasley cared about was seeing her children healthy and happy. And of course Hermione, the ever know it all, had been right.

Charlie and Phil decided to spend a week at the Burrow with his family, and it was then that he sat Arthur and Molly down and told them the truth of his relationship with Phil. Although they had been shocked at the news, not at the fact that he was in love with another man, but by the fact that he had kept his relationship a secret from them, they couldn't have been more happy or supportive about Charlie's relationship.

Molly had always feared that Charlie would constantly put his work first and forget to live his life, growing old alone, with no-one to share his life with. But to hear that he was happy and in love, with someone who she considered to be a good match for her son, well it lightened her heart and filled her with happiness. Hermione had been right, all Molly wanted was to see her precious children happy.

"Actually there's another reason why we're here?" Charlie said, turning a coy glance towards Phil.

Hermione looked between her two friends, and when they said nothing grew impatient.

"Well what is it?" She asked eagerly.

Charlie grinned then held his and Phil's hand up for her to see the matching rings they wore.

"We are having a binding ceremony, while we're all here together. I wrote to Albus and he has agreed to perform the ceremony for us. Phil's finally making an honest man of me." Charlie said proudly, as Hermione squealed in delight and then hugged her two friend's tightly.

"Oh my goodness I am so happy for you both."

Phil squeezed her shoulder then said,

"Believe me not as happy as we are, and we have you to thank for that."

Hermione looked stunned as she said,

"Me, but I never done anything it was all you two."

Charlie chuckled then said,

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione, honestly when will you learn to accept praise. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have told my folks about our relationship. We wouldn't have been confident and happy in ourselves, to bind ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives."

Hermione sniffed again at his kind words.

"Which is why we want you to be one of our witnesses." Phil said, looking at Hermione with so much hope in his eyes.

Hermione gasped then gave them such a look of pure joy.

"Of course I will be. I am so honored." She replied happily.

"Good." Charlie said hugging her once more, before letting her go at hearing someone cough from behind them. "Oops I think we've taken up your attention long enough." Charlie said stepping out of the way, revealing a bashful looking Ron and Harry.

The pause between them, as the trio simply gazed at one another felt slightly awkward, as none of them knew what to do or say to the other. But it was Hermione who suddenly broke the tension between them by saying,

"My god you both look so grown up." She whispered, taking in their matured appearances.

Harry and Ron looked at one another before they broke out into laughter, then quickly moved towards Hermione, picking her up and hugging her to them tightly.

"Mione we've missed you so much." Harry said, feeling as though a part of him was complete again.

"Yeah it's not been the same without you." Ron added, as both wizards finally let her go.

With a look of sadness, Hermione gazed at the two boys, no men as they had truly grown since she had last seen them, and gave them a small smile.

"I've missed you both as well. Believe me there hasn't been a day gone by that I haven't thought of you both. I speak about you constantly to anyone who will listen about all our adventures." She said, then laughed when Demetri piped up with,

"Yes constantly and repeatedly." Which caused the others at the table to chuckle, well all except Severus Snape of course, who simply rolled his eyes and scowled.

"Congratulations to you both as well, I can't believe you're a dad." She said looking directly at Harry. "And you're a dad to be." She said turning her gaze towards Ron, whose ears quickly turned red.

"Let me introduce you to our son, James Potter." Ginny Weasley said, walking towards her husband and friend.

Peering down at the sleeping bundle in Ginny's arms, Hermione couldn't believe how much the small baby looked like Harry already, with his dark tuft of messy brown hair and his coloring, it was obvious whose son he was.

"He's beautiful." Hermione whispered smiling first at Ginny, then towards Harry. "I can't believe how much he looks like his daddy." She added, then chuckled when she saw Harry puff his chest out with pride.

"Would you like to hold him?" Ginny asked, to Hermione's delight.

"I would love too." Hermione whispered before casting a warming charm over herself and pulling out a pair of gloves. She didn't want to give the sleeping boy the chills by touching him with her cold hands.

Maneuvering him carefully, so not to waken him, Ginny gently placed her sleeping son into Hermione's waiting arms. Holding him gently to her, Hermione smiled as the small boy yawned then turned his head into her, without waking up.

"He's so small." Hermione whispered, sniffing the baby boy's head and inhaling the scent of baby. She had the urge to kiss his soft tuft of hair but refrained from doing so.

From the Professors table, friends and adopted family of Hermione's looked on with varying degrees of fondness and sadness. Those who knew of Morvin, knew how good a mother she was, but at the same time it was disheartening to see her hold something so precious. Knowing that she could never carry and birth her own child to term.

Severus looked on with a pained heart, wondering what things would be like if they had been different. Of course he knew he wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for what happened to her, but still he could only wish and wonder.

Lost in her own bittersweet thoughts Hermione smiled and cooed down at the small baby, just as he began to stir and smack his lips.

"Oh dear looks like someone needs his mummy." Hermione whispered, placing the hungry baby into Ginny's waiting arms.

"He is a complete gannet. Honestly I think the boy has more of an obsession with my boobs than his father does." Ginny whispered sitting down at the Gryffindor table in order to feed her son.

Her comment caused several of the males in her family, including Harry, to turn a sickly pale color with embarrassment. While the twins and Charlie chuckled deviously at the statement.

While Ginny was feeding James, Hermione turned to look at Lavender. Although she didn't care much for her in school, Hermione knew that she and Ron made a good couple in the end. In fact, they probably made a better match than what she and Ron would have ever made.

"Congratulations to you as well Lavender, pregnancy seems to really suit you. You are glowing and look beautiful." Hermione said, trying to make peace with her old school rival.

Lavender blushed and cuddled into Ron, feeling slightly nervous about being in Hermione's presence, knowing who and what she was.

"Thank you. It was hard to begin with as I had awful morning sickness, but luckily all that seems to have passed now." Lavender said, glancing at Ron for comfort.

"Yeah sick as a dog she was." Ron blurted out.

"Ronald Weasley." Molly yelled at her tactless son, causing the others to snigger and laugh.

"What I'm just saying." Ron said, his face and ears both turning a bright shade of red.

Rolling her eyes at her old friend, Hermione turned back to Lavender and asked,

"So do you know what you're having yet or are you keeping it a surprise."

Lavender smiled warmly, then began to rub the palm of her hand soothingly around her swollen stomach.

"Ron wanted to find out but I didn't. I always thought it would be nice keeping the sex a surprise since it's our first child."

Hermione smiled at Lavender then said,

"Yeah I know what you mean. It makes it more special doesn't it?" She agreed.

Lavender's eyes lit up at Hermione's words, glad that at least she understood her reasoning, unlike Ron.

"That's exactly it." She exclaimed gaining a derisive snort from Ron.

"Bloody hell, must be a woman thing." He grumbled.

"Oi." Lavender said hitting him on the arm.

"What was that for?" He moaned rubbing at his arm. "Bloody hormones I tell yah."

Trying to break up the argument between the expecting couple, Hermione quickly stepped between them and pointed towards Lavenders growing bump.

"May I." She asked. At her words, Lavender visibly tensed up, not knowing what Hermione was about to do. Seeing this reaction Hermione quickly said, "I promise I won't touch your bump." She gave her a reassuring smile, and when she saw Lavender slowly nod her head in agreement, she bent over and placed her ear close to Lavenders bump. Shutting her eyes, she listened carefully for the faint lub-dub of the baby's heartbeat. When she caught the sound she smiled warmly then cast a spell, causing the sound to be enhanced for the whole room to hear it. "Your little baby has such a wonderful strong heartbeat." Hermione said, standing back up.

Lavender gasped in surprise and put her hand on her belly, as tears began to trickle down her cheeks.

"That's our little baby." Ron said with pride, as he covered Lavenders hand with his own large gentle one.

The whole room seemed to crowd around the happy couple, as they all stood mesmerized listening to the sound of the soon to be newest addition of the Weasley family.

When the sound finally ended, both Molly and Lavender wiped their tears away and thanked Hermione for giving them all such a wonderful gift. They were so engrossed in their conversation that none of them saw Morvin enter the group, until she was standing beside Hermione, tugging on her jacket for attention.

Because the group was filled with so many unknown faces, she reverted back to speaking to Hermione via the mind.

Gaining her mother's attention, she watched as Hermione knelt down beside her.

" _Mother who are all these people."_ She asked, looking timidly around all the unknown faces. They had all stopped talking and were now staring down at her with surprise, making her feel slightly uneasy.

Hermione smiled and gently touched her daughter's cheek before saying,

"Morvin sweetheart these are my friends. This is Harry Potter and his wife Ginny. And this is Ron Weasley and his fiancée Lavender. They are Uncle Charlie's brother and sister." She said, indicating the two youngest Weasleys. "Behind them is Uncle Charlie's twin brothers Fred and George, and next to them is Uncle Charlies mum and dad, Molly and Arthur Weasley."

Morvin looked at all the new faces and gave them a small timid smile.

"Hello." She said in greeting, as she took hold of Hermione's leg.

Seeing how nervous her daughter was, Hermione wrapped her arm protectively around Morvin's shoulder before turning to look at the group of Weasleys.

"I would like you all to meet my daughter Morvin." She said, causing the group in front of her to gasp in surprise.

"Your daughter." Molly repeated, with the biggest broadest smile on her face, as she rushed up to Morvin. "Oh my you are such a beautiful little girl. I am so pleased to meet you."

"Mione, why didn't you tell us that you had a daughter?" Harry asked, looking a little hurt.

Hermione gave him a small sad smile then said,

"I wanted to, believe me, but things weren't safe for her. She is classed as an immortal child, which the Volturi could have saw as a threat. But luckily she bonded with them and with me." She said proudly.

"Why didn't you tell us later then?" Harry continued, causing Hermione to sigh.

"Come here little Mo, and give your uncle Charlie a big hug." Charlie cut in, gaining a smile of gratitude from Hermione. Once Morvin had gone to speak to Charlie and Phil, Hermione turned her attention back to Harry and gave him a look of irritation.

"Harry please don't ask any more questions about Morvin. She has a horrible history, much worse than your history with the Dursleys, and it took a lot for her to forget it. I don't want her past brought up, and memories to be triggered, so please no more questions." She sighed again then said, "I promise to explain things later, but not now with her here."

Understanding the meaning behind her words, Harry nodded feeling slightly guilty at his intrusive questions.

"I'm sorry Hermione, you're right of course."

Giving him a small smile, she felt relieved at how understanding he was being.

"Thanks Harry."

When Molly and Arthur went to catch up with Albus and Minerva, they were also introduced to Hermione's vampire family. The newcomers were all slightly taken aback at seeing the vampires there, considering what had happened the last time they had come to visit Hogwarts, but everyone seemed to be making the effort to get on with one another. Which pleased both Hermione and Dumbledore. But the friendly peaceful atmosphere wouldn't last long however.

While Hermione caught up with Harry and Ron, Morvin was close by talking to Charlie and Phil and getting to know the twins, who didn't fail in making Morvin laugh.

The boys had just been discussing what they had been up to since Hermione had last seen them, when Ron, subtle as always put his foot in it.

"So what brings you here to Hogwarts then Mione? I take it you heard about Dumbledore, you know, dying and all that."

If Hermione wasn't pale already, the color would have drained from her face immediately when she heard her daughter's anguished cry. Closing her eyes tightly for a moment, wishing things could go back in time, Hermione composed herself and turned round to face Morvin.

"It's not true is it mother." Morvin cried out, looking between Dumbledore who was silent and sad looking, and Hermione who was trying to put on a brave face for her daughter. "Mother, please tell me it's not true." When Hermione didn't answer straight away she turned to face Dumbledore, as the room filled with silence. "Grandpa." She whispered. Although Morvin didn't have the ability to cry anymore, the pain and heartache was clearly etched on her face.

Dumbledore sighed and rose to his feet, making his way towards Morvin who took a wary step away from him.

"Little Mo I am so sorry. This is not how we intended for you to find out." Dumbledore whispered, wincing when he heard Morvin cry out.

"No." She exclaimed, shaking her head vigorously causing her curls to bounce and sway. "You can't die. You can't leave me."

Hermione, feeling more helpless than ever before, placed her hand calmly on Morvin's shoulder, only for her to quickly wrench it from her grasp.

"No don't touch me mother." Morvin cried out. She felt as though the people that she loved the most in the world, had just lied and betrayed her. "How could you not tell me about grandpa? I trusted you." She said accusingly.

With that Morvin glared at the roomful of people before storming out of the Great Hall, not knowing where she was heading too, just knowing that she couldn't be in the room with them just now. Her grandpa was dying and no-one had told her. What was she supposed to do without him in her life, the thought was unbearable to her?

The moment the doors to the Great Hall closed behind her, Hermione, who could only stand watching in shock, unleashed a heart wrenching sob as she realized just how hurt her daughter was. A hurt that she had unintentionally caused her.

She had to find her and talk to her. She couldn't leave things the way they were, she needed to fix things between them. Just as she set off to follow her daughter, a firm hand suddenly grabbed hold of her, stopping her in her tracks.

Turning to glare at the person who prevented her from following Morvin, Hermione was shocked to see Marcus, gazing at her with a look of complete sadness.

"Hermione, let me go to her please. Perhaps she will listen to me right now." He said calmly.

Hermione sobbed again feeling her heart break. She should be the one to go to Morvin and comfort her, but right now, she knew Morvin wouldn't want to see her let alone speak to her.

Reluctantly Hermione agreed, and watched on helplessly as Marcus went after Morvin.

Slumping down at the Gryffindor table, Hermione covered her face with her hands, as she cried quietly into them. Her shoulders and back shook with heart wrenching sobs. This wasn't the way that Hermione had imagined telling Morvin about Dumbledore. She deserved so much more than that, and it was all Hermione's fault.

"Mione I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I didn't think." Ron said timidly, guilt at what had just happened filling him.

Hermione looked up, her eyes and cheeks wet with tears and tried to give him a small smile.

"It's not your fault Ron. It's mine. I should have told her sooner. I'm her mother, it was my responsibility, not yours."

"She will come around Hermione. Morvin is strong and understanding." Dumbledore said, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"That's not the point Albus, she should never have found out like that. Where was my Gryffindor courage eh?" She said, trying to make light of the situation.

"Marcus will talk to her; she will be alright in time." Felix added.

"I hope you're right." Hermione said, glancing at the double doors, wondering what was happening.

Morvin made her way towards the lake and stopped at the edge of the water. When she was a human she had always hated the water, as she had a fear of drowning. Even now, being this close to the lake made her feel nervous.

Sitting down at the shore, Morvin began to fling small rocks into the water out of sheer anger and frustration. Why hadn't her mother told her about her grandpa? Why hadn't he told her?

Sometimes, like now, she wished that she still had the ability to cry, because all she wanted to do was scream and shout and let all of her tears and pent up emotions out.

Lost in her thoughts, she wasn't aware of Marcus coming up behind her until he had sat down next to her.

Turning to see who had joined her, Morvin frowned then broke the silence by asking,

"Did you know; about grandpa I mean?"

Marcus sighed before taking her small hand in his, squeezing it gently.

"I only just found out little Mo, that is why I'm here now."

Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion she asked,

"What do you mean?"

Marcus glanced at her and smiled sadly at her.

"When your grandpa told your mother, which wasn't that long ago by the way, she didn't take the news very well either. A bit like you have actually. She was angry and hurt that he hadn't thought to tell her. She offered to turn him into a vampire like us but he declined. Despite everything he is ready to leave this world and move on to the next." Turning his gaze away from Morvin, he focused his attention towards the view across the lake. It was so beautiful and tranquil here.

"He doesn't want to be like us?" Morvin asked.

"No he doesn't little Mo and that's alright, because it's what he wants that matters. He wants his loved ones around him, supporting and loving him and we must do that. Your grandpa wrote to me, because he wanted someone to be there for you and your mother, he felt that someone needed to support and love you through all of this as well."

Morvin lay her head on her grandfather's shoulder and thought about what he had just said. In a way she was glad that he had come to Hogwarts to be with them, because she knew it was going to be a painful time for them all.

"Is mother really upset?" Morvin asked, suddenly feeling guilty at the way she had just acted. When she stormed out of the castle she didn't give any thought to how others, especially her mother, were feeling. She just thought about herself and about her own feelings. Right now, they needed each other.

"Not with you little Mo. Never with you." Hermione's quiet whisper said from behind them. "I am so sorry for not telling you myself, I just didn't know how to. I just wanted to protect you a little while longer that's all." She said, moving to kneel down next to her daughter. "Can you forgive me sweetheart?"

Seeing the hurt and sadness in her mother's eyes, Morvin knew she couldn't stay mad at her. They needed one another right now, and she needed her mother more than anyone else.

"I love you mummy." She whispered, flinging herself into her mother's embrace.

Despite the fact that Morvin was only eight years old when she had been turned, she always seemed incredibly mature for her age. That was why she choose to call Hermione 'mother' rather than anything else. But every now and again, when Morvin felt weak or vulnerable and needed the comfort from Hermione, she always reverted to calling her mum or mummy. Hermione didn't mind this at all, in fact it warmed her heart to hear her use that, rather than the more formal title of mother.

Smiling at her daughter, Hermione ran her fingers through her silky curls, holding her daughter tightly to herself.

"I love you too my darling girl." She whispered, laying a kiss on top of her head.

The trio sat beside the lake a little while longer, with Morvin sitting in Hermione's lap, and Marcus with his arms wrapped around his two girls. Each were lost in their own thoughts. It had been a trying morning so far, with lots of ups and a couple of downs thrown in as well.

Although they knew that they should head back to the castle and talk things through with Dumbledore and spend some time with the new guests, none of them were ready to head back just yet. They wanted to just sit at the lake and bask in the peacefulness of the moment, before returning back to reality.

It was while Hermione was gazing out across the lake that something out of place suddenly caught her attention. A flash of white light belonging to a man with a wizard camera, was standing facing them, taking pictures.

Narrowing her eyes at the sight, Hermione tensed up before jumping to her feet, moving to stand in front of Morvin and Marcus, from the unknown photographer.

"Father take Morvin to the castle quickly and send Harry down here immediately."

Getting to his feet before helping Morvin to hers, Marcus looked at Hermione with concern.

"Hermione what's wrong?" He asked.

Not taking her eyes off the photographer Hermione said,

"Please father go, now."

Not arguing with her any further, as he could see how tense and angry she looked, Marcus took Morvin by the hand before using his vampire speed to take them to the castle. Once inside he went and found Harry, telling him what had just happened.

Meanwhile an irate looking Hermione didn't want to wait for Harry, so flying up in the air, she flew towards the loan photographer, who panicked then disappeared before she could reach him.

The residue from his magic still lingered in the air from his apparition, but Hermione could not use it to follow him. Cursing Hermione searched around the spot the photographer had been, trying to look for anything he had left behind. Who was this wizard and why on earth had he been taking pictures of them? More importantly how long had he been taking pictures for? The whole thing was unsettling to say the least.

Running her hand through her hair, out of sheer frustration, Hermione groaned and kicked a rock, just as Harry and Severus came rushing towards her.

"Mione are you alright what happened?" Harry asked, as Severus did his own search of the area.

"Yeah I'm fine, but whoever that was taking the pictures managed to leave before I got here." She sighed then turned a frustrated gaze onto Harry. "Who would be taking pictures of us and why? It makes no sense." Hermione exclaimed.

"It could be the Daily Prophet." Severus cut in. "You coming back to Hogwarts and into the Wizarding World is a big thing, they will be wanting your story. And it's not as if your return has gone unnoticed. Students have seen you, as well as people in Diagon Alley." He said, thinking about Geoffrey Ollivander.

"Maybe." Harry agreed, changing into Auror mode. "I can send a couple of guys down to the Daily Prophet to snoop about, see what they know. In the meantime, I can set wards around the grounds, to give us some privacy. We don't know why they were here so really anyone could be a target." He added whipping out his wand, checking first to make sure that whoever had been here was definitely gone.

"I can help with the wards Potter." Severus added.

Looking at his former Potions Professor, with a look that was full of respect, Harry nodded his head in agreement, before the two men began to cast protective wards around the grounds.

"I've set a couple of wards that will alert us, should anyone try to break through them." Severus said. He was much more knowledgeable in casting wards than Harry, who only got taught the basic ones in Auror training. As a former death eater, Severus had to protect himself and his belongings so learned a few of the more darker spells. It was all part of his survival.

While the two men were engrossed in casting wards, neither one saw the black shadow fall over them. Hermione had seen it however, and had to stop herself from calling out to warn them. She wanted to see how the men, especially Harry, would react and had to hide her smile.

It was Severus who first noticed the shadow, looking up startled, only to back away from an oblivious Harry.

"Potter, may I suggest that you look behind you." Severus said, walking to stand next to a chuckling Hermione. His own amusement evident on his face.

"What? Why?" Harry said before noticing the shadow. Turning around to face the cause of the shadow, his wand still out and pointing towards it, Harry looked up only to come face to face with irritated looking yellow eyes. His wand began to tremble in his hand, as he stepped away from those all too familiar piercing yellow eyes.

"Erm Hermione, a little help here please." Harry begged, walking slowly backwards, while Nafeesa slowly stalked towards him.

Hermione laughed, knowing that Harry was safe, as Nafeesa would never hurt him.

"Sorry Harry but you're on your own. I think you and Nafeesa here have some unfinished business to take care of."

At her words, Nafeesa growled at Harry, causing him to panic.

"Nice dragon." He said, trying to stop her from following him. "I'm sorry about the Triwizard Tournament. I didn't want to be a part of it either." Harry said holding out his hands to her in a defenseless manner.

Hearing and understanding his words, Nafeesa let out another growl, this time louder and more intimidating sounding. Startled, Harry jumped backwards only for his foot to catch on a broken tree branch, causing him to topple backwards.

Lying sprawled inelegantly on the ground, Harry could only watch on helplessly as Nafeesa leapt over the top of him with a growl, before her large thick tongue came out to start licking over his face.

At the sight of Harry being licked to death by Nafeesa, who acted like an overgrown puppy, Hermione could not control her laughter. Even the normally stoic Severus, couldn't contain his chuckle, at seeing Potter getting what he deserved.

"Her-mi-one." Harry yelled through licks. "Help me." Although at first he had been scared, then disgusted, Harry now couldn't contain his own laughter either. As far as revenge went, this was by far the best form.

Nafeesa stepped back from Harry, as she admired her work. His face was red from embarrassment, his skin was wet and sticky with her saliva, his glasses were smeared to the point he could no longer see out of them, and his hair was sticking up in all directions.

"Sorry Harry but she needed to get her own back on you." Hermione said helping her friend up to his feet.

Harry tried to frown but couldn't hide his amusement.

"At least she didn't kill me." Harry said turning to look at the magnificent beast. He didn't get the chance to see her properly at the Triwizard Tournament, as he had spent most of his time trying to hide and run away from her. Nor did he really get the chance to see her at the battle in Romania, as she had been fighting with Hermione before getting hurt in the battle. But standing in front of her now, was such an amazing profound experience. Looking to Hermione then to Nafeesa, he held out one hand towards her then asked, "May I?" Indicating that he wanted to touch her.

Closing the gap between them, Nafeesa shoved her large scaly head against Harry's hand, and allowed him to rub her. She made a happy mewling sound causing Harry to chuckle.

"Wow." He said with amazement in his voice. "You are so cool." Turning to look at Hermione, he flashed her that familiar boyish grin then said, "I can't believe you have a dragon."

Hermione laughed then rubbed her hand against Nafeesa.

"I do and she is amazing." Hermione said proudly.

Severus who stood with his hands folded across his chest, rolled his eyes then said,

"I don't mean to break up the party but may I suggest we head back to the castle. Potter you should go to the Ministry and talk to your men. Whoever was out here taking pictures is obviously up to something, and we need to find out what that is."

Harry reluctantly stepped away from Nafeesa, and glared at Severus for ruining the moment, while at the same time jumping back into Auror mode.

"Yes you're right." He admitted. "Will you tell Ginny where I am and that I won't be long." With that he turned on the spot apparating away to the Ministry with a loud crack.

Once he had gone Hermione turned to Nafeesa and lay her head against her smooth scaly skin.

"I'm sorry Nafeesa, but you need to go back to Magorian's tribe. I promise Morvin and I will visit you later tonight. Charlie's here as well and I'm sure he will want to see you."

Nafeesa made a sad mewling noise, before reluctantly leaving Hermione. She didn't want to leave her non-human just yet, but knew that she was busy and had other things to deal with at the moment.

Hermione watched her dragon leave, then turned to look at Severus.

"Do you really think it was someone from the Daily Prophet?" She asked, knowing that Severus would answer her question truthfully.

He sighed and took her hand in his.

"Honestly I'm not sure. You coming back to Hogwarts would be a big story, but that doesn't mean it was them. There are…. others who may be interested in you as well." He admitted. "Plus the great Harry Potter is here, and you know how much trouble he attracts." Severus said, with regards to Harry's dangerous past.

Hermione sighed before rubbing her hand against her face.

"Yes, that's what I feared." She agreed.

Seeing the look of vulnerability flash in her eyes, Severus let go of her hand before pulling her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her securely.

"Everything will be alright Hermione. You'll see."

Hermione nuzzled her cheek against Severus's rough wooly cloak and inhaled his scent. Something that seemed to comfort and relax her.

"I know." She agreed.

While they stood in each other's embrace, a tingling sensation crossed over the both of them, causing them to tense up and jump apart.

Looking all around them, Hermione said,

"Severus did you feel that?"

"Yes, it's like someone's was watching us." He replied, wondering if it was the same people he had seen before. If so, then he couldn't help but feel pleased that Aro glimpsed Hermione in _his_ arms. "I suggest we make our way back to the castle now."

"I agree." Hermione said, not liking this feeling of unease.

With that the two of them took one last glance around the surrounding area, before flying back to the castle. All the while being watched by unseen eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Caroline Fenton wrapped her light summer cloak around her shoulders and made her way through the castle. Just as she reached the main doors to the outside world, she heard laughter and voices coming from the Great Hall. Making her way towards it, she looked between the small gap between the double doors and saw Dumbledore and the rest of the Professors, enjoying a meal with Hermione and all her friends including the Weasleys.

Her eyes scanned the faces of all the occupants before settling on Severus Snape, who was sitting across from Hermione listening to something she was saying. Although he looked completely disinterested in her and the rest of the group, and although he wore his trademark sneer, Caroline could see his eyes were alight and soft, betraying his outward appearance of being bored.

She only knew this because she had spent so much time watching and observing him since starting at Hogwarts, and could spot the small changes in his appearance that others would easily miss. They didn't know him like she did.

She could feel the jealousy rise in her as she stood tall and defiant, her shoulders straight and determined. With one last longing look at him, she turned on her heels and left. She had a meeting to attend and was even more resolute to go through with it than she was, before seeing the happy scene in the Great Hall.

Dolores Umbridge had written to her, requesting her presence at a meeting she had arranged. Whatever revenge she had planned for Hermione would be taking place soon. Probably sooner than she thought.

After she had visited Dolores that first time, she had been so angry at Severus and Hermione and wanted to hurt them like she had been hurt. He had kissed that hybrid after being on a date with her. To Caroline that kind of behavior was uncalled for. But a few days after that first visit, the anger began to dissipate, replaced now with guilt and second thoughts.

Dolores had kept her promise and had contacted Caroline several times requesting information on what was happening at the castle. Although she did have second thoughts about it, she wrote back to Dolores giving her all the information that she wanted. It wasn't until she had written to Dolores about the appearance of the other vampires and the Weasleys that she became even more interested, and requested this meeting.

So here she was now, leaving the castle to head to meet Dolores and find out what was happening.

As she walked across the grass lawn to the apparition point, her thoughts drifted back to the dark wizard who had been occupying her mind, ever since they had first met.

He wasn't the usual type of man Caroline normally went for. He was older than she was, and he couldn't exactly be called handsome or good looking with his lank black hair, pale skin and hooked nose. But there was something about him that drew her to him. Something intoxicating that she couldn't quite explain.

Caroline had been born in Britain but had been brought up in France, attending school at Beauxbatons Academy of Witchcraft. They had moved there because of the War and the beliefs the Dark Lord was instilling in purebloods.

Her father came from a long line of wealthy and influential purebloods and so therefore would have been pursued to join the ranks of the Death Eaters. If it wasn't for the fact that he had fell in love and married a muggle woman. He did not have the same beliefs as those who followed the Dark Lord and this made him and his family a target. So they fled Britain and headed to France where they would be safe.

Her family returned to Britain not long after the Dark Lord fell once and for all, and once his group of death eaters were caught and imprisoned. Only then did they feel it would be safe to return.

She was lucky to have been offered the job of Muggle Studies Professor at Hogwarts, a job she both loved and enjoyed. Because her mother was a muggle, Caroline had been brought up with the best of both worlds, and this made her perfect for the job.

The moment she had been introduced to Severus, his eyes had grown wide and there was something in them that she couldn't read. She could feel her pulse quicken and a fire start in her veins as he raked his eyes over her body. She could tell that he both liked and hated what he saw, and this confused her. It was when he looked into her eyes however, that he had frowned and stormed away from her. Leaving Caroline feeling breathless and slightly turned on. No man had ever looked at her so intensely than what he had.

After that first introduction, she seemed to be hooked on the dark wizard. Her eyes would watch him constantly, she learned all that she could about him, and dreamt of him in the night, doing all sorts of dark and naughty things to her.

One of the things that drew him to her, was his cold dark presence. He was a powerful wizard, anyone who looked at him could see and feel that. He had this dark and dangerous allure about him that captured and ensnared her completely.

She knew of his death eater past and although this should have put her off him, it only fueled her desire to have him more. She was also aware of his role during the War, a double agent for both the Dark Lord and Dumbledore. Only a strong powerful wizard could have fooled the Dark Lord like that, and Severus Snape was definitely strong, powerful and much, much more.

To say that she was obsessed with him would be an understatement. But she didn't call it an obsession, to her she was in love.

And so she pursued him, despite the fact that he was always so horrid and cold towards her. He never seemed interested, and sneered and mocked her advances. But she never gave up, she was determined to have him no matter what, or how long it took. Severus Snape _was_ going to be hers.

Everything was going to plan and she was finally capturing his interest, until the hybrid came, ruining everything for her. But she wouldn't let Hermione spoil what she had worked so hard for. She wouldn't let her take, what was rightfully hers. So she would fight for him.

Caroline wasn't stupid though. She knew she couldn't fight the vampire witch on her own. She needed help, and not just anybody's help but the help of someone who hated Hermione, just as much as she did. And that was where Dolores Umbridge came in.

Her feud with Hermione was legendary, especially around Hogwarts. She was also powerful in her own way having been the Undersecretary to not one but two Ministers of Magic. She was also not at as innocent as she made out to be, and had her own dark ways about her. What she done while she was Headmistress, proved that. This was why Caroline turned to her. This was why she was using the witch as a means to an end, in order to get what she wanted. Severus Snape's love and devotion.

And now here she was, setting off to a meeting that would hopefully, potentially ruin Hermione Granger's life, leaving her to finally get the dark wizard all to herself.

Feeling nervous and excited, Caroline reached the apparition point before disappearing outside a large cottage, hidden amongst the trees.

This was not Dolores Umbridge's home she knew, but the other woman didn't want anyone finding out about the meeting, and so thought it best to do it somewhere more secret and secure.

Walking up to the door, she knocked, two quick knocks then gave a single louder tap. She could hear muffled voices coming from within the cottage, before the door was slowly pulled open.

"State your name." A male voice said, hidden from view behind the slightly open door.

"Caroline Fenton." She said, suddenly feeling nervous.

"You're late." The voice said reproachfully before opening the door wide to allow her admittance.

"It was hard getting away from the Headmaster." She lied, not liking the sound of this unknown stranger's voice.

He never said anything in reply, he merely grunted and walked down a long darkened corridor. Closing the door behind her, Caroline made her way through the hallway and followed, until she reached an open door that emitted an orange glow. She could hear chatter coming from inside, and the unmistakable voice of Dolores.

"Caroline Fenton." The man who had admitted her in said, as he ushered an anxious Caroline into the room.

"At last." Dolores Umbridge replied, with some impatience. She hated being kept waiting, especially when she was being kept waiting about something she was excited about.

Caroline stepped into the warm orange room, only to see Dolores Umbridge sitting in a circle with five other males, who she didn't recognize. Slowly she made her way over to the only available seat, which was to the left of Dolores.

Once she had sat down, Dolores instantly addressed the occupants of the room.

"Welcome everyone, I guess you all understand why you are here. Hermione Granger is back and currently living at Hogwarts, under the watchful eye of Albus Dumbledore." She said his name with distaste and loathing. "You are all familiar with her, since you were all at one-point death eaters. Not only is she a filthy mudblood, but she is also a disgusting hybrid. People like her should not be allowed to live in our world. They are contaminants and therefore need eliminated at once." At her heated words there was a chorus of 'here here's,' causing a malicious smile to spread across her toadlike face. Just as quickly as it appeared however, the smile vanished and anger flashed across her features. "The Ministry, however, are weak and won't remove this parasite from our world, which means we have to take care of the problem ourselves. Which is why I have called you all here tonight." She said with a somewhat feral grin, causing Caroline's stomach to plummet in fear. "Caroline here," Dolores said, indicating the younger witch on her left. "Is a Professor at Hogwarts? It was she who came to me with her concerns, and quite rightly so." Dolores said, flashing Caroline a false smile. "She has been keeping me informed of what is going on at the castle. Including the fact that, the disgusting hybrid came back to Hogwarts with a powerful dragon in tow, but that's not all. William." She said, indicating the man on her right. "Show them."

He stood up and walked over to a large wall that looked bare. With a flick of his wand, a large picture suddenly appeared before them.

"This-" he said pointing to the picture. "is what Hermione Granger looks like now." With another flick of his wand, the image suddenly changed to Nafeesa. "This is her dragon." And with another flick the image once again changed to Morvin, sitting by the lake with Hermione and Marcus. "And this abomination is her so called daughter with another vampire friend. She isn't any normal child though, she is immortal."

At that piece of information, there was a collective gasp of outrage.

"Disgusting." Someone yelled with angry righteous indignation, causing Dolores to smile triumphantly.

The death eaters were acting exactly the way she was hoping they would. Their old prejudices coming to the surface, after having being hidden and dormant for so long. With them on her side, she hoped that would make her plan so much easier. She would finally get rid of Hermione Granger and her friends, once and for all. If of course her plan succeeded, which she had no doubt it would.

"It is that." She said, resuming her stoic outward appearance. "And something must be done about it and soon. Which is why I have asked you all here tonight. I have a plan." She said rising to her feet and towards the wall with the images. She flicked her own short wand and once again the photograph changed before their eyes. "Thanks to Caroline, we now know that the Weasleys, Potters, and a couple of Hermione's vampire friends are staying at the castle. One of the Weasleys is getting married, a wizard is marrying another wizard." Again there were more cries of outrage around the room. As purebloods they were completely bigoted about things such as gay marriage, despite the fact that most of the world had become more accepting. To them, it was instilled from an early age that a man should only be with, and marry a woman. It was important to reproduce and for the woman to sire heirs. Anything that went against the norm was scandalous in their eyes. "The wedding is taking place this upcoming Saturday, which I think will be the best time to carry out my plan. Not only will we destroy Hermione Granger, but we can hit those blood traitors as well." She said with a beaming smile.

"And how do you suppose we do that?" A gruff wizard asked, a look of doubt on his face. "We can't take on all of them. There are too many of them compared to us, and they are more powerful. We will never win." He obviously wasn't convinced that things would work out for them, which is why Dolores had kept the best piece of information until last.

"Very true." She admitted walking around the circle of chairs. "They are more powerful than us, and there are more of them. But we have something that they don't, something that they would never see coming. And no amount of magic can beat it." She answered, a feral smile appearing on her face.

"And what's that." The same wizard asked.

"Follow me and you will all see." Dolores replied, before heading out of the door that lead back into the hallway.

Caroline was the last to rise to her feet, as fear and dread rose within her. Whatever happened now, was her fault. With shaky legs, she made her way out of the house following the others, as they walked through the thick dark trees.

A piercing roar and some yelling filled the air, stopping her in her tracks, as once again fear rose inside of her, causing the bile to rush up into her throat.

"Come along." Dolores said, beckoning everyone towards a huge covered cage. The roars and yells were coming from inside the cage, and no one dared get too close out of fear. Only Dolores was brave enough, or perhaps stupid enough to stand next to it. "Don't worry my dears, this cage is magically enhanced, nothing can get in or out of it, unless you cast the right charm. You are all perfectly safe." At her words, a couple of the men inched a little closer, but they still managed to keep a good distance away. "In here is the answer to our problems. On the day of the wedding, we will take this cage to the Forbidden Forest and let our friend here do what it has to do. As I said before, no magic can touch it, which means those who are at the wedding will be powerless to stop it." With that she grinned, before tugging the sheet off the cage, revealing the beast within.

The men all gasped in fear before stepping away from the riled up beast, who roared and clawed at the bars of its cage.

"Let me out of here now." It hissed menacingly, at the spectators.

Dolores turned to look at it, grinning happily.

"You will be released my friend, but not now and not yet. Believe me you will be rewarded well when it is time." She said.

The beast turned to look at her, its black eyes full of hatred locking on to her, as it growled menacingly.

"I am not your friend." It hissed out, before launching its body at the bars to get to her. There was a loud anguished scream as it touched the bars, before it fell to the ground in pain, having just been shocked.

Dolores pouted before saying,

"Now, now friend there's no need to be like that. It will do neither of us any good if you injure yourself because of your pride." She stepped a little closer to the cage and looked at the beast, her gaze unwavering with not a hint of fear in them. "Trust me you will do this on Saturday and you will enjoy yourself. That I can assure you."

The best hissed and growled at her again before turning its back on her.

"Stop." Caroline said walking up to the insane witch. "You can't do this; you can't unleash that thing in the forest."

"Oh and why not?" Dolores said with annoyance.

Caroline licked her lips nervously, and flicked her gaze towards the beast before landing back on the witch in front of her.

"Because there are innocent people there, the Professor's, Albus Dumbledore. My God there are children at the castle and a pregnant woman. That beast will kill them all, there will be no mercy." She whimpered, her face pale at the thought of what was going to happen.

Dolores laughed, not the childlike giggle she often used, but a laugh that clearly belonged to a mad woman.

"Mercy, and why should we show any of them mercy. This is all thanks to you Caroline, you came to me remember. You cannot stop this from happening." Dolores said menacingly.

Caroline had to break eye contact for a moment, as she thought of something she could do, anything, to stop this nightmare from taking place. Then the answer quickly occurred to her.

Looking defiantly back at the witch, she finally said,

"Then I will tell them, I will warn them about what you have planned. They will be able to stop it then. I cannot in good conscience let you do this. It's- its madness." She exclaimed.

Dolores tilted her head back and laughed.

"Do you think I would let you go back to the castle and tell them about this? Stupid little girl." She stepped closer to Caroline now, who gulped when she saw Dolores's short wand in her small stubby hand. "No dear, you will not warn them. You will watch as every single one of them are destroyed, knowing that their blood is on your hands. And once he is finished with them, I will make sure he gets you as a lovely little treat as well." Dolores's eyes flashed darkly as she suddenly screamed imperio. Caroline went instantly stiff as her eyes widened in fear and realization. "You will not tell the others of my plan is that understood." She screamed out.

Caroline could not fight the power of the imperio curse, as her body tingled and thrummed with the magic. She was powerless to go against it.

"I understand." She said through clenched teeth.

"Good." Dolores smiled sweetly, still not removing the imperio curse. "And you will help carry out this plan until it is completed." She said.

"I will help carry out this plan until it is completed." Caroline repeated, as thick fat tears began to slide down her face.

"And you will stay and watch." Dolores said with a feral smile on her face.

"And I will stay and watch." Caroline repeated.

Dolores moved closer to Caroline, their gazes locked together in a fierce battle of wills, a fight that Caroline had no hope of winning.

"Once you have fulfilled your duty only then will the imperio curse be lifted. If you try anything Miss Fenton, I will know." Dolores warned, finally releasing the spell.

Caroline, she noted, now had a slightly glazed look in her eyes. Unless you knew that she was under the imperius curse, and unless you went looking for that specific characteristic trait, you would never guess that she was under a spell. Good. The last thing Dolores needed at this most crucial stage was a little weakling who had a sudden change of heart. Not when she was this close to accomplishing her dreams of revenge.

Turning she looked around at all the faces, they were nervous, they were anxious, but they were willing and determined to complete the task at hand. Good, this would make things a lot easier.

"Is everyone in agreement then? Is everyone ready to carry out this plan?" She asked.

The men either nodded their heads in agreement, not able to speak out loud. Or they murmured their agreement with a simple yes.

"Excellent." Dolores said sweetly, clapping her hands together with excitement. "Then let's go inside and have some tea and scones, while we discuss the rest of the details."

With that the group headed back inside, eager to get away from the beast in the cage, who watched them all with beady black eyes full of hatred.

He had his own plan forming in his mind and decided that he would carry out the toadlike witches plan, but instead of harming the young witch he would instead take his anger out on the witch who had captured him for her own amusement and pleasure. It seemed she wasn't the only one who would get revenge that day.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

The day of Charlie and Phil's binding ceremony had finally arrived and the whole castle seemed to be active once again, as it came to life. The halls were filled with laughter and mirth, as the house elves prepared the large marquee by the lake, where the hand fasting ceremony would be taking place. The Great Hall was beautifully and tastefully decorated for the reception afterwards, where they would all be sitting down to a beautiful meal before the dancing and celebrating truly begun.

Despite the fact that the house elves were happily taking care of everything, Molly Weasley still rushed about finding jobs to do. Much to the annoyance of the house elves, she insisted on baking the three tiered wedding cake for her son and soon to be son in law. She wanted to feel needed and useful and felt that by letting the house elves do everything, she wasn't doing her motherly duties properly. There had been much arguing between her and the house elves, but in the end she had won this small battle at least.

She made sure that everyone had their outfits ready and fitted, and over saw the decorating of the marquee and Great Hall. Again much to the annoyance of the house elves. All she wanted was her son's day to be perfect, as he was the last of her children to get married and settle down. So for Molly Weasley, the occasion was bittersweet for her. At least she could look forward to gaining a new family member, and perhaps once they had settled into married life, a couple of grandchildren or two. She knew about the different choices Charlie and Phil had now, they could adopt, or even hire a surrogate if they wished, she was open minded about these things and just wanted to see them happy. Even if that meant no future children for them, considering the dangerous work they both did. They had each other and that's what mattered the most.

Excitement and happiness spread through the occupants of the castle, at least for most of them anyway, as preparations went underway. For Dumbledore however, it was so much more, and exactly what he needed. He looked on at everybody with fondness as he listened to their jokes and arguments, he smiled warmly at every look and smile of love that they shared between them, and even laughed loudly at the pranks the Weasley twins pulled on unsuspecting victims. Seeing all of his loved ones around him, probably for the last time, he couldn't help but feel joy and happiness at the sight, a sight that caused his heart to swell with so much love and pride.

Despite the fact that some of his loved ones still had a habit of casting worried glances his way, they let him be for they could all see the slight change in him. Once more his eyes twinkled madly, shining bright like a beacon of hope and light. The wedding gave him a newfound zest for life, however temporarily it lasted, and a special purpose since he would be conducting the ceremony.

Hermione and an excited Morvin had also been swept away by the wedding preparations and the atmosphere. Those who had only just found out about Morvin were quick to accept her and treat her like one of their own, making her feel blessed and have a sense of belonging.

After the incident with the photographer, Harry spoke to some of his men at the Ministry and they looked into the Daily Prophet to see if they had sent a reporter to spy on Hermione. But they heard nothing of the incident, or of them knowing Hermione was even back at Hogwarts. So with that they decided it wasn't them who had sent the photographer.

Both Hermione and Harry didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing yet, because it still left many questions unanswered, such as who sent the photographer and why?

But neither of them wanted to think of that on the days leading up to the binding. All Harry could do was up the security at the wedding and hope whoever took the pictures wouldn't be back. They didn't want to spoil Charlie and Phil's day or dampen the atmosphere by unnecessarily worrying anyone.

The morning of the wedding Charlie and Phil resided at different sides of the castle in order to get ready and prepare themselves, both equally nervous and excited about what was to come.

Since Charlie was surrounded by his friends and family, Hermione, Morvin, Felix and Demetri decided to go and keep Phil company while he got ready, offering him some much appreciated support. He had no family of his own, and most of the friends that he had were already here. The people who worked in the Dragon Sanctuary beside him couldn't leave, as someone had to be there to look after and care for the dragons. And so that left Hermione, Morvin and the two other vampires he had gotten to know.

Putting on his best dress robes, Phil looked at himself nervously in the mirror as he caught Hermione's gaze in the reflection.

"How do I look?" He asked her self-consciously, as he tugged and pulled at the garments.

Hermione smiled at him before walking over, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in order to fix the mess he had made of his robes.

"You look great Phil. I don't know why you are so nervous anyway. You and Charlie are perfect for each other." She said warmly.

Phil looked at her and gave her a small smile.

"We are that, but believe me Hermione that doesn't make getting up in front of all those people any easier."

She nodded her head in understanding before saying,

"Well it's simple then, don't concentrate on all of those people. Concentrate on Charlie, and just focus on him, as he is the only one that really matters. Well him and Albus." She said with a quiet chuckle.

"Or you can always do what the humans say to do, imagine everyone in their underwear." Demetri piped up causing the room to laugh.

Phil shuddered then said,

"No offence but I would rather not imagine my new mother in law in her bra and pants. That's just too much." He said with a grin, as the tension in his shoulders and back was momentarily released.

"Good thing I came when I did. Merlin can only guess what I just walked in on." Severus said, leaning against the doorframe as all eyes turned to him. He rolled his eyes before striding over to Phil, pulling out a small silver flask from his inside pocket. "A little bit of Dutch courage is needed I think." He said, handing a surprised Phil the flask.

With a nervous, slightly shaky hand, Phil took the flask from Severus's hand before giving a nod of thanks. Then he opened the flask, tilted his head back, and poured a good helping of firewhisky down his throat.

He coughed slightly, as the hot liquid burned its way down his throat and into his stomach. His face turned bright red as he handed the flask back to Severus, who smirked at the younger wizard knowingly. Obviously, by the young wizards' reaction, he wasn't one who indulged in firewhiskey very often, but at least he was willing to give it a go today.

"Very potent." Phil finally coughed out when he was able to find his voice again.

"I thought it may help with any nerves you might have." Severus replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Besides the other reason I came was to let everyone know that it's time. The ceremony will be happening in ten minutes and you are expected outside. Unless of course you've had a change of heart." Severus said, quirking an eyebrow, as the amusement flashed in his dark eyes.

At his words Phil straightened his back and shoulders, and took a calming deep breath.

"No-one will be having a change of heart today." He said confidently before walking to the door, and stopping to face the others when they didn't move. "Well are you coming or not." He said with a smile, exiting the room.

"The groom has spoken." Hermione said with a grin, as she took Morvin's hand in her own and followed, the now confident groom out.

Severus walked alongside Hermione, as he subtly took in her appearance. When he had first walked into the room, his eyes had immediately been drawn to her and she had been the first thing he had seen. Just the mere sight of her standing there with a red halter neck dress on, showing off the pale smooth skin of her back, with her hair pinned up, left him feeling breathless. She was beautiful, in fact she was more than that, she was stunning. It had taken all of his willpower to tear his gaze away from her and find the words he needed to address the nervous groom.

As they made their way down to the main doors, Hermione glanced at him, giving him a shy wistful almost smile. He returned the smile with a small one of his own, as her attention was drawn away from him. Just that one simple look managed to cause his heart to flutter like a besotted school boy.

Despite her words from before, when she told him that they could never be together, Severus was now committed to changing her mind. They had been together once before, and happy. They had been one and he had loved every moment of it. Just like he loved her and spending every second with her. Why couldn't they have that again? Why couldn't she be his for whatever time he had left on this world?

So with a newfound resolve, Severus was determined that tonight after the ceremony, once the celebration was in full swing, he would escort her to a quiet place and hopefully persuade her to change her mind, and opinion on the matter of them being together. He would not beg and plead with her, as Severus Snape did not beg to anyone, but he would tell her how he felt. He knew deep down that she felt something for him, he just hoped whatever it was that she felt was enough.

Reaching the main doors to the school Hermione turned to Phil and grinned at him warmly.

"Are you ready?" She asked him.

He sighed heavily before nodding his head.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." He said happily.

Tugging on his robes, Morvin stood on her tiptoes as he bent his head down to her. Kissing his reddened cheek, she grinned at him before saying,

"Good luck Uncle Phil."

"Thanks little Mo." He said squeezing her small hand. The coldness of her skin no longer bothered him. He was used to it now.

"See you out there then." Hermione said escorting Morvin out the doors.

"Good luck and congratulations." Felix said, shaking the wizard's hand proudly.

"And enjoy yourself." Demetri added, with a knowing wink. Felix laughed before pulling Demetri away.

Severus looked at Phil, and gave him a reassuring pat on the back.

"You can always run while you still can. I could always hold off the rabid pack and give you time to escape." Severus said teasingly.

"Nah I want this more than anything." Phil said, with a faraway look in his eyes. "Once you find that special someone who you want to spend the rest of your life with, you will do anything for them. That includes, enduring the embarrassment of standing in front of lots of people in order to declare your undying love to them." He turned a penetrating gaze to Severus, and with a serious look said, "Don't leave it too long, and don't let it go. Love, is worth fighting for." With that he headed out the front doors, leaving a stunned and speechless Severus Snape in his wake.

All the guests had arrived and were seated, including the Malfoys who had become friends with the Weasleys after the War. Charlie and Phil wanted their binding to be small and intimate, so only invited their close friends and family, as well as members of the Order.

Once the guests had been seated and the four witnesses, Hermione, Arthur, Bill and Remus were in place, did Dumbledore finally begin the ceremony.

"It brings me great joy and pleasure to welcome you all to this most very special occasion. And that is to witness the binding of two of our friends, Charles Weasley and Phillip Murphy. If you can all please rise for our grooms."

The guests all got to the feet and looked behind them, as the charmed instruments began to play a beautiful tune. From the small tent, the two grooms emerged, their arms linked with one another, wearing matching beaming smiles on their faces and with their feet bare, in order to be closer to the earth. They smiled and acknowledged their guests, as they made their way to the front, where Dumbledore was standing, grinning happily at them.

Once they had stopped, Dumbledore looked at the guests and said,

"Can you please be seated." Once everyone was comfortable, he turned his warm gaze to the two wizards in front of him and began the ceremony by joining their hands together and covering it with a red cloth, which had the Weasley's crest embroidered on it. Turning to the four witnesses he said, "Remus Lupin, representing the element of Air, can you move to stand facing East." Remus smiled and nodded, before moving into position. "Hermione Granger, representing the element of Fire, can you move to stand facing South." She gave a small curtsey and a smile before moving into position. "Arthur Weasley, representing the element of Water, can you move to stand facing West." He gave a proud nod to his son and soon to be son in law before moving into his position. "And finally Bill Weasley, representing the element of Earth, can you move to stand facing North." He gave the two grooms a wide grin, before he too moved into position. "I have now invoked the energy of the four elements to create the sacred circle, in which you will both be joined as embodiments of Gods." He gave them a small wink as the guests chuckled slightly. "Charles and Philip, before we begin can I please remind you both that you will be forming eternal and sacred bonds that will bind you in matrimony for life. With full awareness you must know that within this sacred circle, you are not only declaring your intent to be bound together by this hand fasting, before your friends and family, but that you speak that intent also to your higher powers and to each other. The promises you make today and the ties that bind you together, will only strengthen your union in this life and in death. I ask you now, do you still seek to go through with this ceremony?"

Dumbledore looked at the two men and in unison they both said,

"I do."

Smiling broadly at them, Dumbledore pulled out his wand and with a small flick, a red chord began to wrap around their joined hands.

"And so the first binding has been made." Albus declared. "Element of Air what do you gift this union with?" Dumbledore asked, turning to look at Remus.

"The element of Air gifts thee with openness and breath, so that your hearts can always communicate openly and honestly, with purity of the mind and the body. From the east you receive the gift of a new beginning with the rising of each new Sun, and the understanding that each day is a new opportunity for growth. Blessed be this union." Remus finished with a low bow.

"Element of Fire what do you gift this union with?" Dumbledore asked, turning to look at Hermione.

"The element of Fire gifts thee with energy, passion, creativity and warmth of a loving home. From the South you receive the gift of fire from within your union that generates a light so bright, with which you will share with one another, even in the darkest of times. Blessed be this union." Hermione finished with a low courtesy.

"Element of Water what do you gift this union with?" Dumbledore asked, turning to look at Arthur.

"The element of Water gifts thee with the capacity for you to feel emotion. From the West you receive the gift to offer absolute trust to one another in this marriage, and vow to keep your hearts open in sorrow as well as in joy. Blessed be this union." Arthur said, his voice cracking with emotion as he too bowed down low.

"Element of Earth what do you gift this union with?" Dumbledore asked, turning finally to Bill.

"The element of Earth gifts thee with sustenance and security. From the North you receive the gift of food to enrich you and help you build a stable home to which you may always return. Blessed be this union." He bowed low, before bestowing a cheeky grin towards his brother.

"Do you accept these gifts?" Dumbledore asked the couple. In unison they said,

"I do.'

Dumbledore smiled and once again flicked his wand over the couple's joined hands, and watched as a green chord wrapped around them this time.

"And so the second binding has been made?" He said with a merry smile. "Charles and Philip, can I now bid you to look into each other's eyes as you take your vows." Once they were in position Dumbledore smiled and said, "Will you honor and respect one another and seek to never break that honor?"

"I will." Charlie and Phil said in unison, as Dumbledore flicked his wand, causing a yellow chord to wrap around their hands.

"And so the third binding has been made. Will you share in each other's pain and seek to ease it?"

"I will." The couple said in unison. This time a purple chord wrapped around their hands.

"And so the fourth binding has been made. Will you share the burdens of each other, so that your spirits may grow in this union?"

"I will." They chorused, as a blue chord wrapped around their hands.

"And so the fifth binding has been made. Will you share in each other's laughter, and look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?"

"I will." The said, as an orange chord wrapped around their hands.

"And so the sixth binding has been made." With that Dumbledore flicked his wand once again, causing the chords to tie together, making one long thick rope. He wrapped the rope around their joined hands then said, "Charles and Philip, as your hands are now bound together, and so are your lives and spirits joined in a union of love and trust. Like the stars your love should be constant and a source of light, and like the earth, a firm foundation from which you should grow together. Now I believe you wish to make your own vows before exchanging the rings. Charles."

Charlie turned to the man that he loved and smiled, feeling his emotions swell.

"Phil before I met you I felt as though I was odd and didn't belong, well I guess I'm still considered odd in a way." He said much to the delighted laughter of the guests. "Seriously though, I felt like a piece of me was missing and I never knew what that piece was until I met you. You made me feel whole, you made me feel complete. You gave me strength and purpose and most of all you gave me so much love and happiness. You are my life and my love. And now you are my husband."

Even though it was too early, Phil bent his head and kissed Charlie gently on the lips, then grinned.

"Wow, how's a man supposed to beat that." He said, again causing the guests to laugh. "Charlie my life was empty, devoid of meaning and I felt lost, not knowing which direction I was going. For a long time, I denied my attraction to you, but that all changed once you cornered me drunk." He said with a chuckle. "I knew then that you were the only one for me, so I thank you, from the bottom of my heart for not giving up on me. For fighting for our love and for filling me with hope. I would not be the man I am today if it wasn't for you. So thank you, thank you for choosing me."

Charlie squeezed his hand affectionately, as a few people, including Molly and Dumbledore, blew their noses loudly.

"That was wonderful, simply wonderful." Dumbledore exclaimed, wiping a lone tear from his cheek. "Phillip you may place your ring on Charles's finger. This ring is a symbol of your union and of your love." He watched as Phil placed a simple gold band onto Charlie's ring finger of his left hand. "Charles you may place your ring on Phillips finger. This ring is a symbol of your union and of your love. May the circle never be broken." He watched as Charlie slid the ring onto Phil's ring finger of his left hand. With a last wave of his wand, the two men felt the magic swirl between them as the ceremony was now complete. "I am happy to announce that you are now Mr and Mr Weasley, you may seal your love with a kiss."

With that, the happy couple kissed each other chastely to the sound of cheers and whistles, as all of their friends and family joined in congratulating them. They broke apart to face their loved ones, holding up their joined hands in a show of unity.

"We done it." Charlie exclaimed, much to the delight and cheers of the people surrounding them. They were soon swamped with well-wishers, as hugs and kisses were bestowed on them. A few happy tears were shed also.

They then made their way up to the castle for the meal, and once everyone was seated and they all had a drink in their hands, Phil stood up clinking a spoon against an empty glass, to the yells of 'speech.'

"Can I have your attention please? Before we sit down to this wonderful meal prepared by the amazing elves at Hogwarts, I just wanted to say a few thank yous. Firstly to my sexy husband for making this day even possible." He said with a cheeky grin as the guests' wolf whistled at him. "Also to Albus for performing the ceremony." Dumbledore bowed his head with thanks as everyone clapped and cheered. "I also wish to thank Molly."

"That's mum now boy." Molly yelled with good humor causing everyone to laugh.

"Sorry mum." Phil said playfully. "I want to thank her for all the hard work and effort that she has put in today. The woman is a wonder and credit to us all, so thank you mum. For making our day so special." He said, as awws filled the room. Molly smiled and whispered 'thank you' as she dabbed at her eyes. "Also thank you to all of you for coming and celebrating our day with us, we're glad we could share it with our friends. A big thanks also goes to Arthur, Bill and Remus for standing in as our witnesses. It means so much to both Charlie and I that you were a part of our ceremony. I would like to finish now by thanking one last person, and that's Hermione. She has done so much for us over the years, and it's no secret that Charlie and I wouldn't be here standing before you now, if it wasn't for her. She was the one who gave us the confidence to be open with our relationship, she was the one who inspired us to take the big leap. Without her, I doubt we would be here now, in more ways than one. She is our family, our friend and our savior. So please raise your glass not to us, but to Hermione Granger, the embodiment of goodness, light, love and hope. To Hermione."

"To Hermione." Everyone chorused holding their glasses up in toast.

To say that Hermione was moved by his words was an understatement, she sat doing a Molly Weasley as she dabbed at her eyes, wiping away the falling tears. She had no idea that they thought so much about her, it was truly amazing. She smiled at the two men, who quietly saluted her once more, before the food appeared in front of them.

After dinner, the champagne flowed freely until everyone was merry and slightly tipsy. The music began to play and everyone watched as the newly married couple took to the dance floor for their first dance.

They smiled at each other and held each other close, as everyone in the room melted away until it was just the two of them.

"Are you happy? Is it what you hoped it would be?" Charlie asked, knowing how boisterous his family could be at times.

Phil sighed with contentment as he lay a gentle kiss on Charlie's forehead.

"It was so much better than I hoped, your family are amazing and I really feel like part of the family."

Charlie laughed then said,

"Welcome to the mad house, there's no escaping us now you're a Weasley."

"I wouldn't even try to." Phil said, kissing his husband tenderly as the song ended. The chorus of cheers, leers and the applause brought them back to reality, as they blushed and bowed to the group of onlookers. Now the party could really start.

Everyone danced, laughed and drank as they celebrated the newly married couple. Even Felix and Demetri were getting into the spirit of the occasion, having never seen a wizarding wedding before.

Dumbledore sat at the table drinking a cup of tea, simply watching the merriment unfold. He was happy, happier than he had been in a long time, but he was much weaker now. He knew that he was not long for this world and just wanted to enjoy the time that he had left.

Marcus walked over to join him, drinking red wine from a large goblet, with a contented smile on his face. He had seen many weddings before, had even performed a few hundred of his own, but seeing a wizarding wedding was something else.

"What did you think then?" Dumbledore asked, as if reading the vampires thoughts.

"What can I say, it was truly amazing. I never knew a wedding could be like that." He admitted, scanning all the happy smiling faces, including that of his daughter and granddaughter. "They look happy don't they?" Marcus said, not needing to explain who 'they' were.

Dumbledore gazed at them with so much love and smiled.

"They do indeed."

Without looking at the old wizard Marcus said,

"I never got the chance to thank you properly for inviting me to Hogwarts. I know it must have been difficult considering what happened the last time we were here."

Dumbledore chuckled and waved his hand.

"That is all in the past now, I like to think that we have all moved on since then."

Marcus chuckled then took a healthy sip of his wine.

"We have, I assure you. I am just thankful that I am able to be here for them now. I know how close they are to you. I know they see you as family."

"As they do you." Dumbledore said warmly.

"Yes, as they do me." Marcus agreed. "We are so alike you and I, in some ways." He admitted.

"We are that." Dumbledore said with a small chuckle, before quickly turning sober. "You will look after them won't you? Once I am gone." He looked at Marcus, with sad baby blue eyes then said, "They will need you, both of them, and I do not want to leave them knowing that they aren't looked after first." He said solemnly. Although he tried not to, he couldn't help but worry about their welfare. He needed to be reassured that the two people he loved most, would be looked after and cared for.

Marcus took the old man's hand in his own, and could feel the small unsteady pulse beating away. He could see how tired and weak the wizard was, and knew that he wouldn't be here much longer. Death stood close by watching from the shadows. He could smell it in the air.

"I promise to look after them, care for them and love them with everything that I have. You have my word."

Dumbledore relaxed slightly but there was still something on his mind.

"Promise me also, that you won't let her forget about the magical world, she needs this world just as much as she needs yours. It is part of who she is."

Marcus smiled softly and nodded his head in agreement.

"I promise she will never forget the magical world. I understand its importance to her." He admitted.

"One last thing, don't let her walk away from love. She is strong and has Morvin, but her heart is not yet complete. She knows the truth deep down, but will not yet admit it, not even to herself. She must be reminded. On the day of my funeral, she must touch my tomb. Only then will she know the truth of what is in her heart." He said, the mad twinkle back in his eyes.

"Do you know something?" Marcus asked curiously.

Dumbledore shook his head regretfully.

"No, only that she has to be reminded, she has to see the truth for herself."

Intrigued Marcus asked,

"How will she be able to see that?"

Dumbledore chuckled and looked at Marcus.

"With magic of course."

The two of them laughed, then sat back against the chair looking at everyone's happy faces.

"Did you ever think we would be sitting here now in a room like this? Everyone united together. Witches and wizards dancing with vampires." Dumbledore began.

"And with a werewolf." Marcus said with a smile.

"And a half giant."

"And a vampire witch."

"And a goblin."

"And an immortal child."

"With a dragon and a centaur tribe outside." Dumbledore finished as they both began to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "I believe times are changing my friend."

"And hopefully for the better." Marcus added as they clinked their glasses together in a small private toast of their own.

Meanwhile, Hermione had just finished dancing with Arthur when she was suddenly caught by Severus. He had been in a quiet discussion with Lucius Malfoy rather than joining in with the dancing and merriment, but he had never taken his eyes off of her. She could feel his gaze on her, as she glided around the room and moved about in the arms of other men.

Knowing that he was watching her gave her a thrill, but at the same time she knew the feeling was wrong. He was tempting her and she wanted to give in to that temptation, but deep down she knew that she couldn't. They had been there once before and it hadn't ended well, things would be no different for them now.

"Hermione could I please have a moment of your time." He asked quietly, so not to draw the attention of the others around them.

"Sure we can-" Before she could finish what she was saying the doors of the Great Hall were blasted open, causing the partygoers to cry out and hide.

Once the smoke had begun to clear, a grinning Dolores Umbridge dressed in her normal pink monstrosity, stepped through the doorway and into the now silent room, flanked by Caroline Fenton and two other wizards.


	13. Chapter 13

**WARNING- This chapter comes with a warning as it contains violence and some gore. Xx**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

Dolores Umbridge felt the adrenalin flow through her veins, it was so much more powerful than her magic at the moment, as she leered at all the faces of the people she hated.

The turncoats the Malfoys she noticed, were also in attendance. Good she thought, the more people the better. She had always respected and admired Lucius Malfoy for his beliefs in pureblood supremacy and for following the Dark Lord's ways. But all that changed the moment he and his family turned their backs on him. He was a coward in her eyes. And obviously they had sunk to a new low having befriended the Weasleys, the scum of the wizarding world. An embarrassment to all pureblood families. How times had changed, it seemed. And so to was Severus Snape in attendance, the secret double agent. He may have fooled the Dark Lord but his pathetic existence didn't fool her. He too would get what he deserved, and not before time either.

She carefully stepped over the flaming bits of wood that used to make up the doors of the Great Hall and pretended that she was shocked, as she exclaimed,

"Oh dear was that me? Did I do that?" She smiled sweetly, but the malicious glee was evident on her toadlike face.

"What is the meaning of this?" Minerva McGonagall said, as she made her way through the crowd of people, stopping just in front of the toadlike woman. Everyone knew that there was no love lost between these two witches, not after what Dolores had done during her time as a Hogwarts Professor. Or for the way she had treated poor Professor Trelawney. "How dare you just barge your way in here like that?" Minerva said pointing a long bony finger at her enemy.

But Dolores Umbridge didn't flinch or step back away from her. Instead she laughed while taking a step forward, causing Minerva to shrink away.

"Oh I do dare Minerva, for you see as the Department Head for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, it is my duty to investigate any concerns or worries made by the public. And it has come to my attention that you are harboring dangerous and violent beasts that are classified by the Ministry at level XXXXX. I wouldn't be doing my job now if I simply ignored such a concern. Would I Minister Shacklebolt?" She asked turning her haughty gaze onto the Minister of Magic, knowing that he couldn't disagree with her.

He stepped forward and said,

"I think this has gone a little too far Dolores. I don't think there's any need for such an investigation to occur as no trouble has or will be taking place today."

Dolores pretended to look shocked by his words as she exclaimed,

"But Minister, I am simply doing as I was told to do, by you nonetheless. What would the people say if they knew you were hiding such monsters among us? I don't think they would look too favorably on it. Especially after the outrage from the last time." She smiled sweetly then whispered, "I wouldn't want them to find out about you turning a blind eye, and demand a vote of no confidence in your leadership. Do you?" She asked batting her lashes at him.

She was of course talking about the last time people found out about Hermione. They were so scared and unsure of her then, and things probably hadn't changed since. Kingsley knew there was nothing he could do to prevent Dolores Umbridge from doing what she was supposed to. He had his own job and reputation to think about and couldn't put his personal feelings in front of his professional life.

"Very well Dolores, you may continue, but I will be watching you." He said carefully.

She gave him a smug smile then said,

"Of course, I would expect nothing less Minister."

Minerva, who had been listening to the exchange with outrage, grew red in the face with pent up anger and frustration.

"And who on earth made such a complaint. Her, I suppose." She said pointing towards Caroline who was standing by Dolores's side, her gaze never wavering and her eyes never blinking. Minerva had never liked the young witch. She could see that she was manipulative and out of sorts. She could tell she had feelings for Severus Snape, but didn't believe they were real. "Well let me assure you Dolores that you will find no beasts of any kind here. The only beast I can see, is standing right in front of me now, dressed like some absurd Christmas fairy." At her insult, sniggers could be seen and chuckles could be heard around the room, causing Dolores's face to turn bright red in color.

"How dare you insult me in such a way?" Dolores hissed, taking a menacing step closer towards the woman she considered to be a rival. Grinning she said, "That insult will only make me enjoy this all the more. Believe me seeing you and everyone here getting your comeuppance will be all the more sweeter to watch."

Minerva's face blanched as she stammered,

"What-what are you going to do?"

Dolores laughed triumphantly at seeing the fear flash across Minerva's face.

"Not so brave now are you Professor." She said with a leer. "Since you asked so wonderfully my plans are as follows, first the wizards here will stun the illegal immortal child. And then they will kill the dragon. As you are aware the Ministry Classifies all dragons as XXXXX and to bring one into the country you need special written permission, permits and several health assessments. That dragon out there has had none of those things, which makes it a danger to our people." She looked around the room and grinned again before saying, "And finally if any of you fail to comply and tries to stop me, then I will be forced to cast a charm which will unleash your worst nightmare. Now be good little lambs and let the wizards here do their jobs." She smiled sweetly as the two burly wizards made to move.

Hermione, who had been watching the scene unfold, felt the anger rise inside of her. She had never liked this particular witch and knew that she was doing this to get her revenge for what she had done. Before Hermione could even stop and think of her own actions however, she moved at vampire speed to stand in front of Minerva.

"You will not be doing any of that today Dolores, because I won't let you anywhere near my daughter or my dragon. If you want them, then you have to get through me first and I promise you, I will not make that an easy task for you." She said with a fierce glare.

Dolores looked at Hermione and gave her a rather feral smile.

"Hermione Granger, we finally meet again. The last time I had the pleasure of your company, you tricked me, cast spells on me, and more importantly you stole something very precious from me."

"That necklace wasn't yours to begin with." Hermione countered. "It was evil and needed to be destroyed."

"It was mine and you stole it." Dolores yelled, the smile slipping from her face, showing only a look of utter madness. "So I am here to return the favour. You took something from me, now I will take something from you." With a flick of her wand, she whispered an unknown incantation, before letting out a high pitched laugh of sheer delight, a laugh that could rival Bellatrix Lestranges if she was still alive. "I did warn you not to get in my way, but your need to always be the hero proved to be your downfall. Congratulations Miss Granger you have just cost the lives of everyone in this room." She smiled sweetly again then said, "I do hope you enjoy the show." Then she giggled.

The words hadn't even finished leaving her mouth, when suddenly several loud bangs could be heard, causing the foundations of the castle to shake.

"What the hell was that?" A frightened voice asked, as piercing screams and an inhuman roar came from outside.

"Whatever it is, it's coming from the forest." Hermione said, and before anyone could stop her she ran towards the main doors to the castle to see what was happening for herself.

The scene that greeted her, left her reeling. The forest was on fire, aggressive flames engulfed the trees, as thick black smoke curled up into the sky. Frightened centaur tribes were running from the forest like a stampede, looking for safety, as another loud and terrifying roar filled the air.

Hermione looked for Nafeesa and felt dread, a feeling unlike anything she had ever felt before, when she couldn't see her.

In a calm steady voice, she suddenly said,

"Everyone get back into the castle now."

It was clear to see that Hermione was going into leader mode. This was obviously the reaction Dolores Umbridge was hoping for. She always knew that Hermione Granger had the brash foolishness of someone with a large hero complex. And she wasn't disappointed.

"Hermione don't go rushing off with your foolish Gryffindor bravery, we don't know what we are dealing with yet." Severus said, trying to act as the voice of reason, even while his stomach churned with fear. He knew instantly what she was about to do, he had witnessed it all before and knew there was no stopping her.

She looked at him with a steady gaze, but he could see her own worries and concerns reflected in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter Severus, whatever that thing is, it's coming straight for us regardless. Soon it will kill every single one of us here and I'm not about to let that happen. I won't." Turning to face the frightened guests she said, "I want you all to get back into the castle, take the floo and get out of here quickly."

"If you think that we are just going to leave you here, all alone to fight that thing my little witchling, then you have another thing coming." Demetri said coming to stand beside her.

She turned to look at him, bestowing him with a warm smile then said,

"Thanks Demetri but you, Felix, Morvin and Marcus have to leave as well. The flames could kill you and I can't take that chance."

"What about you? The flames can kill you too." He replied.

She gave him another smile before saying,

"Yes but I have magic on my side remember."

A familiar yowling sound rang out, piercing the air, as Nafeesa came diving out of the trees, flanked by Magorian and some of the other males in his tribe. At the sight of her friend, relief flooded through Hermione, as she quickly opened up her beaded bag. Finding the circlet she put it on, and all at once Hermione's appearance changed right before everyone's eyes. She was now Hermione Granger, rider of the alpha dragon, leader and commander. She radiated both power and confidence, and was a force to be reckoned with. Those who had not seen her like this, were shocked into silence. She was certainly a sight to behold.

"Mummy please don't go." A frightened Morvin begged, pulling at her mother's hand to gain her attention.

Hermione knelt down and hugged her daughter to her chest tightly, not wanting to let her go but knowing she must. Kissing her cheek and then her forehead she whispered,

"I must go little Mo, but I promise I will come back to you. Trust me."

With a gentle caress to her daughter's cheek, Hermione rose to her feet and walked towards Nafeesa and Magorian's Tribe.

"Magorian did you see the beast, have you any idea what it is." She asked.

Magorian nodded his head and in a grim voice replied,

"Yes, it's a manticore." Before he or anyone could say anything else, Nafeesa quickly scooped Hermione up onto her back and flew up into the air, heading back towards the forest where she had just come from. Magorian and his tribe followed on land, galloping to keep up with her as they crashed through the flaming trees.

Once they were out of sight Minerva gripped onto Dumbledore's arm and in a strained voice said,

"Albus did you hear what the centaur said. It's a manticore."

Dumbledore's face was pale and grave, as he slipped his trembling hand on top of Minerva's.

"I heard my dear Minerva and I think we should all pray to Merlin, that Hermione comes out of this safely."

Minerva turned to look at Dumbledore, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

"What do we do Albus?"

Dumbledore sighed then said,

"We do what Hermione asked. Those of you who wish to leave, can do so by floo. We must be quick, the manticore is not far from the castle and if it gets passed Hermione then we will all be in grave danger."

"I will stay." Marcus said, as he couldn't leave Hermione like that.

"As will I." Felix said.

"And I." Demetri also said.

"Minerva, I too will also stay." Dumbledore said quietly. Before she could reply he quickly shushed her then said, "As the Headmaster of Hogwarts, I must stay and stand guard over the school. You must lead everyone else out to safety. Do not argue with me Minerva, time is of the essence." He said.

"Very well then." She turned to look at the frightened guests and said, "Everyone who wishes to evacuate the castle follow me now." With that she turned and headed up to the Headmaster's office, followed by all of the guests.

"I am not leaving." Severus said with determination, his arms folded across his chest stubbornly.

"Severus my boy, you must leave. There is nothing you can do." Dumbledore said with a sad sigh.

"I can wait for her to return. I can't leave her Albus, please don't make me," He all but begged.

"Very well then, who am I to stop you?"

Charlie and Phil looked at each other, in a silent question, before nodding their heads in agreement.

"Albus we will stay also." Charlie said.

At the sound of her newly married son's voice, Molly let out an anguished sob as she made her way towards her son and son in law. Wrapping them protectively in her arms she said,

"Charlie please, this is supposed to be your wedding day. Don't stay here, come back home with us where it's safe, please I am begging you. I can't bare it if something happened to either of you." She looked at Charlie then at Phil.

Charlie sighed then hugged his mother tightly, before saying,

"Mum I can't leave Hermione or Nafeesa. If anything happens to either of them, then we can help. Have faith in her abilities. If anyone can take out a manticore it's her." He said trying to reassure her.

She sniffed loudly and buried her head against Charlie's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart beating.

"I can't lose you." She whispered between sobs.

"You won't, I promise."

Arthur was incredibly proud of his son, but couldn't help but have the same fears as his wife. How could such a brilliant happy day turn into a nightmare so quickly? He couldn't understand.

Walking towards his family, he wrapped his arms around Molly's shoulders and gently pried her away from Charlie.

"Come on my love, let's go. Charlie knows what he's doing. We've all seen Hermione in action, and she is formidable. Trust her."

She sniffed and kissed both her sons goodbye, before allowing Arthur to escort her away. He would give her a calming draught the moment they entered the Burrow, otherwise she would be a nightmare also, until they knew what was happening.

Another roar could be heard coming from somewhere in the forest, as several other loud bangs could be heard. They could only hope that Hermione knew exactly what she was going up against. As clever as she was, they hoped that she knew her magic would not work against a manticore. Its skin could repel all forms of magic, probably including hers despite how powerful her magic was. Manticore's were seen as one of the most dangerous beasts in the magical world, having been classified at level XXXXX the same as a dragon, because witches and wizards couldn't subdue one with spells, making it hard to capture. Only people trained in hunting manticores knew that they were susceptible to muggle electric shock devices, and could be subdued that way. Since Hermione probably couldn't use her magic against it, they could only hope that she would have something else planned for it instead. Otherwise, the thought of what could happen was unbearable to imagine.

While panic and fear settled amongst the witches and wizards gathered at the castle, Dolores Umbridge hid forgotten in the shadows, as she watched her plan come to fruition at last. It had gone a lot better than she had even dared hoped. Now that the dragon and the hybrid were out of the picture, and the others were distracted, she could now focus on taking the thing that she really sought, the thing that would cause Hermione Granger the most pain to lose. The death of the immortal child. If the dragon died during the fight, well that was just an added bonus for Dolores.

She was so close and soon she would get her revenge. Hermione Granger would learn what it was like to lose something so precious and irreplaceable.

* * *

Hermione and Nafeesa flew through the burning trees and through the thick black smoke, towards the roaring of the beast. Magorian and his tribe followed on foot underneath, their bows and arrows out ready to fire. They had managed to evacuate their families and the other tribes, with little to no casualties. But for some animals it was too late.

Unicorns and other precious creatures lay dead on the ground amid carnage and burning flames. The smell of burning flesh was strong in the air, the deeper they moved into the forest. Finally reaching a clearing of broken trees, Nafeesa landed on the ground as she hissed and snarled at the beast standing in wait.

Hermione had never seen a manticore before, she had of course heard of them, but hadn't read much information about them. She took in the sight of it with its human face, surrounded by a thick lion's mane. Its body was that of a lion, yet it had the wings of a dragon and the tail of a scorpion. The manticore looked big and powerful, but it wasn't quite as big as what Nafeesa was. It had row after row of sharp pointy teeth as it grinned and cocked its head to the side, as it took in the sight of Hermione with a sneer.

"So you are the one they sent hmm." The beast said, its voice low and deep. "You are the one they are so afraid of." It sneered. "A puny little vampire with some magic." It chuckled, the sound deep and throaty as it sized Hermione up. "You will take only moments to destroy. Pity that I won't take any satisfaction in your death."

Hermione hopped of Nafeesa and glared at the beast, her wand out and pointing directly towards it.

"You don't have to do this you know. Leave now and I will spare your life." She said, her eyes narrowed and her voice unwavering.

The manticore began to laugh, a deep low noise that vibrated through the earth.

"Do you really think you can scare me hmm?" It asked with delight. "You will die, you will all die and I will get my revenge on the woman in pink. Prepare to be eliminated." It yelled before moving to pounce.

Before its feet could even lift off the ground, Hermione had shot spell after spell at the beast. And watched as several bluey-white energy balls hit it square in the chest. Once the explosions had died down, and the air had cleared of smoke, she looked at where the beast had been, only to see that it stood smiling at her, looking unhurt.

She gasped and stepped back realizing that her magic was powerless against it.

Once again the manticore began to laugh at the look of shock on her face.

"Silly little hybrid, didn't you know that magic won't work against me. You cannot win this battle."

She glared at the beast as it mocked her with its words, before saying,

"Maybe so, but you better believe that I will die trying." With that she jumped onto Nafeesa's back, and watched as Nafeesa and the manticore charged at one another. The sound of the two powerful beasts clashing together, echoed around the clearing.

Claws and teeth tore at the others flesh, as the two powerful beasts fought, their giant wings flapping in the air as they lifted up off the ground. Howls and roars became mixed with anguished cries of pain, as they became locked in a fierce battle.

On the ground Magorian's tribe looked on stunned, having never seen a battle look so ferocious before.

"Magorian shoot, weaken the beast." Hermione screamed as she became crushed between the two bodies, while trying to avoid being bitten or clawed.

The manticore may be able to repel magic, but hopefully it wouldn't be able to repel the sharp blade of an arrow.

"Ready men. Aim." Magorian commanded as several bow and arrows were pointed between the fighting beasts. "Fire." He yelled.

None of them could get a clear shot, so some of the arrows hit Nafeesa as well as the manticore. Both creatures cried out in pain as arrows became imbedded in their flesh.

Feeling outraged, the manticore tossed Nafeesa over its shoulder before growling at the centaurs, who slowly began to back out of the clearing.

"You will pay for that." He hissed in his low deep menacing voice, before he quickly pounced on the tribe. His aim was for Magorian the leader, but as he made his move another centaur shoved him quickly out of the way.

"Aarav." Magorian yelled as the manticore sank its teeth into the centaurs' flesh, ripping out a huge chunk with a sickening sound. Aarav screamed in pain, as his body began to convulse, before finally going still as death took him.

"Men, fire at will." Magorian yelled, anger clearly laced in his voice.

Once again the centaurs took aim and began to fire at will, but the manticore could not be deterred, as it continued to stalk towards them, despite it being embedded with arrows.

With the use of its long tail, it swiped it against the centaurs with such force causing them to get flung into the trees. Soren, Magorian's son got the full force of the attack as he was flung into a thick trunk, dying instantly as his neck snapped against the sturdy wood.

"No." Magorian screamed as he watched his son's lifeless body slide down to the ground, before running to him. "Soren wake up son." He begged, as he knelt down on his hunches and gently cradled his son's head in his lap. He knew it was too late however, he knew his son was gone.

Grief and anger surged through him, as he bent to lay his head against his sons, not caring if anyone saw the tears that streamed down his face. At the sound of the manticore chuckling with malicious glee, Magorian looked up at him with hate filled eyes. "You killed my son, now I will kill you." He said, his voice sounding much steadier than he felt.

"You can try, but you will fail." The manticore said with a smile.

Neither had time to make a move on the other, as Hermione quickly jumped up onto the manticores back, stabbing it several times with one of the arrows, until her hands were covered in blood. The manticore let out a chilling scream as it bucked and thrashed trying to get her off, but to no avail.

With no other option, the manticore began to run through the forest at full speed, with an injured Nafeesa and the rest of Magorian's tribe following closely behind. Once it was out of the forest and out on the open grounds of Hogwarts, the manticore flew up into the air turning and thrashing until finally it had Hermione in its clutches. It snarled and snapped his powerful jaws at her, trying to get a grip of her flesh, but she was too fast for it. She punched it and squeezed it, just like Jasper had taught her. Feeling satisfied when several cracks could be heard as bones broke. The manticore hissed and squealed in pain, but was not yet ready to give up this fight.

Before it could do anything else, Nafeesa crashed into it, biting one of its wings with her teeth, and clawing at its flesh leaving deep cogues.

The three of them twirled in the air, as they rotated so that they were now pointing towards the ground. Severely injured the manticore looked towards the ground and accelerated his speed. If he was going to die, then he was bringing them down with him.

"Prepare to die." He hissed out.

Hermione's eyes widened as she looked towards the ground. The manticore had her trapped between his body and Nafeesa's. They wouldn't survive the impact unless she done something and soon.

Freeing a hand, she mustered up all her strength and punched the manticore hard, until her fist punctured its ribs. It let out a loud roar of pain before loosening its grip on her.

Taking the chance, she quickly squeezed through the gap and slid downwards, until she was holding on to the manticore by its head. She didn't have enough time, but tried hard to slow down the acceleration.

Looking at Nafeesa she yelled,

"You need to let go."

Everything seemed to happen so quickly after that. Nafeesa let go and Hermione was able to climb back up the manticore, before rotating them again, so that the manticores back was now facing towards the ground. With a loud bang, they crash landed onto the ground causing a crater to open up.

Despite the fact that Nafeesa had let go, she had no time to pull up and so therefore had crashed into the ground a little distance away from Hermione and the manticore. She lay still and unmoving in a bloodied heap.

The manticore shifted on the ground, with several of its bones broken and a wing ripped and torn from its body, thanks to Nafeesa. Blood covered its body, and when it coughed blood also spluttered out from its mouth. Dirt and debris swirled around the large crater covering the scene from view, as the worried vampires and wizards came running from the castle towards them. Each one full of fear at what they might find.

"Hermione." Severus yelled, as he covered his mouth with his robes, trying not to breathe in the dirt. When he got no answer panic settled in. Pulling out his wand, he cast a spell so that the dirt and debris vanished giving them all a clear look at the sight that lay before them.

Charlie and Phil immediately ran towards Nafeesa, they had to check and make sure that she was still alive and needed to find out what exactly her injuries were. The sight of her limp body left them fearing the worst however.

Severus peered over the edge of the crater to see the bloodied up manticore, half dead and unable to move. It looked up at him with pleading eyes before saying,

"Kill me, please. Kill me now."

Severus sneered down at the vile beast before saying,

"After the devastation you have just caused, killing you will be a mercy you don't deserve." He gazed around the crater but could see no signs of Hermione anywhere.

"Look." Marcus said, pointing to the limping shadow a short distance away.

The impact of the fall had caused Hermione to be tossed out of the crater, and flung across the ground. She had cracked her ankle and had ripped her clothes but was otherwise no worse for wear. She was however, head to toe covered in dirt and dust as she made her way back towards the crater.

"Hermione." Severus whispered, relieved at seeing her looking whole.

She ignored everyone however, as she jumped into the crater, wearing nothing but a look of sheer determination on her face.

The centaurs were surrounding the crater looking down at the manticore with nothing but hatred in their eyes. The beast had killed two of their own, so therefore must pay the ultimate price.

Bending over the top of the manticore, Hermione sneered at the bloodied animal and said,

"You should have left when you had the chance."

With no other words needing to be spoken, she grabbed the manticores scorpion tail and pulled with all of her strength until it tore away from its body. Unleashing an agonized cry, it watched on with widened eyes, as Hermione held it high above her head, before bringing it down forcefully, until the stinger had pierced the manticores heart.

With another shriek of intense pain, the manticore gasped and coughed one last time, before the poison from its tail caused instant death for it.

Pulling out the scorpion tail, Hermione made her way out of the crater before walking towards Magorian, her eyes downcast and full of sorrow for the pain he must be feeling.

"I'm sorry for your loss and although I can't take the pain away from you, I offer you this." She said holding out the manticore's tail as a trophy.

He looked at the tail then bowed his head in silent thanks, unable to say any words just yet. Taking the tail, he turned on his heel to go and retrieve the bodies of their two fallen comrades.

"Severus and Albus could you put the fires out." Hermione asked, her voice cracking with pain.

"Of course." Severus said, wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms and not let her go. Despite the fact she was no longer a student at Hogwarts, she was still undoubtedly a foolish Gryffindor at heart.

"Hermione come here quickly." Charlie yelled, drawing her attention to her fallen friend.

"Nafeesa" She whispered before running over to her. "Charlie what's wrong? Can you fix her?" She asked, her voice full of panic as Nafeesa lay unmoving and unresponsive.

"Her injuries are extensive; she is on the brink of death. There is nothing Phil or I can do." Charlie said, running his fingers through his hair.

"No." Hermione whispered, not taking her eyes off of Nafeesa. "You can't give up, there must be something, anything you can do." She pleaded, she couldn't lose Nafeesa, not after everything they had been through together.

"There is something that can be done but we can't do it. Only you can." Charlie said thoughtfully.

"What is it? Tell me I will do anything?" She said.

Charlie looked at Phil who nodded his head, before turning his gaze back onto Hermione.

"You and Nafeesa share a bond that is so strong, the likes of which I have never seen before. You must use that bond between you both now, invoke the power of the rider and heal her. It will take up a lot of your strength but it's the only way." Charlie said.

Hermione looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, before nodding her head in agreement.

"Tell me how."

With that he took her hands in his own and placed them on top of Nafeesa's black scaly skin.

"Concentrate, think of the power of healing, think of the special bond you share and let your power flow into her. If anyone can do it, it's you Hermione."

With one last nod of her head, Hermione shut her eyes and concentrated first on healing Nafeesa, then on the bond they shared. She thought of everything they had done together over the past few years. All the happy times they had shared and the things they had experienced. She thought of the love they had as familiars, and the way Nafeesa made her feel.

As she concentrated hard she could feel heat emanating from her hands. Focusing on the feeling, a tingling sensation travelled through her body, before the magic radiated from her. If she had her eyes open she would have seen a bright orange light burst from her hands and into Nafeesa. With one last surge of power, the light exploded all around him, before instantly disappearing. Hermione felt the magic recede as exhaustion took over, causing her to topple forward onto Nafeesa.

She didn't have the strength to open her eyes or even move afterwards, as she simply lay there. Her magic drained for the time being.

"Hermione." Charlie whispered, as he lovingly stroked her messy hair. "You done it, you saved Nafeesa." He whispered.

Finally Hermione began to stir, when she felt a familiar tongue licking her face in sheer delight. Laughing, she pried an eye open only to see the wonderful sight of Nafeesa looking straight down at her.

"I guess this makes us even then eh." Hermione said, burying her face into the scaly black skin she so loved. In reply to her non-humans' words, Nafeesa could only make a soft mewling noise. "We done it Nafeesa." She whispered happily.

Slowly, Hermione sat up, and glanced around her at all the happy yet still concerned faces. The crater that held the dead manticore was now filled and repaired, with the manticores body still buried within it. The fire in the forest was now out, but there was still some damage left that couldn't be so easily fixed.

Hermione rose unsteadily to her feet as she looked around her once more. With a raised eyebrow she turned to Marcus and asked,

"Father where is Morvin? Where is my daughter?"

It was only then that they realized the little girl was missing.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

From the moment her mother had left to go and fight whatever it was that was in the forest, Morvin was scared. In fact, she was terrified. All the adults were too busy trying to evacuate or trying to see what was going on outside, that they had completely forgotten about her.

The noises of the screaming centaurs coupled with the roaring of the beast, left her shaken and scared, sitting alone in the corner of the darkened hallway. Even when she tried to cover her ears with her hands, the noise could not be blocked out.

She sat rocking backwards and forwards, her hands covering her ears with her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She didn't want to be there, she wanted her mother back. She wanted to be wrapped up in her mother's loving arms, where she felt safe and protected.

Morvin was so oblivious to what was going on around her that she didn't see the two nasty wizards, or the witch in pink wander up to her. The last thing she was aware of was feeling a shock of pain shoot through her body as darkness engulfed her.

When next she woke, she was alone in a small cage, hidden under the cover of darkness. She reached her hands out to touch the metal bars, and whimpered in pain as she felt her skin burn.

Pulling herself into the middle of the cage, far away from the bars, she hugged her knees tightly to her chest and lay her head on top of them. All she wanted was her mother, where was she? Why hadn't she come for her yet? What if her mother died and she never got the chance to see her again? What if no-one ever came looking for her?

Trying to compose her runaway thoughts and emotions, she calmed herself down enough to remember the last words her mother had said to her. _"I must go little Mo, but I promise I will come back to you. Trust me."_ Her mother had never let her down before and she didn't think she would let her down now. She just had to have trust in her.

That was easier said than done however, as several voices could be heard coming from outside the cage

"And where is your proof that an immortal child exists Dolores?" A male voice demanded.

A small giggle could be heard, a sound that grated on Morvin's nerves, because she knew who that sound belonged too.

"Why she's right here of course?" Dolores Umbridge's recognizable voice said, as she carefully magicked the cover off the cage, revealing the small vampire child to the Wizengamot. They gasped in shock and strained their necks in order to see the child better.

Despite the fact that her eyes were not blood red, she was clearly a vampire child.

"She is an abomination against nature." One wizard yelled, disgust clearly etched in his voice.

"That is why I thought it best to bring her to your attention. When the concern was raised I, of course, had to investigate the claim for myself. And sadly this is what I found." Dolores said, looking rather unsettled and upset. The Wizengamot were playing right into her hands, and soon she would have them where she wanted them.

"Very understandable Dolores. Such things cannot and should not be ignored." The Chief Warlock said in agreement. "This-this thing should not be allowed to roam about our world freely. It is a danger to not only us but to muggles as well. There is a reason why immortal children are illegal. They are unpredictable and a liability. A danger to us all. What say we put this to a vote?" He said, to the resounding 'ayes' of the room.

Feeling a surge of bravery Morvin suddenly shouted,

"My mother will-" But she couldn't finish her sentence as Dolores Umbridge yelled 'quiet' to her, before one of the nasty wizards electrocuted her into silence. She lay whimpering and shaking on the floor of her cage, as pain coursed throughout her body. She was so disoriented that she could no longer focus on the voices around her.

"Mother, who is this girl's mother?" The Chief Warlock asked curiously.

Dolores looked at him with a steady gaze and said,

"Her mother was an unknown female vampire. She put up some resistance when we tried to take the immortal child into custody. Naturally we had to take care of the threat she posed."

The Chief Warlock nodded in agreement then said,

"Understandable and very commendable of you all." He said, towards Dolores and the other two wizards. He then banged his gavel and instantly silence fell onto the room, as he said, "The immortal child is forbidden for a reason. It has been many years since one has been in our custody, so we do not know any information with regards to them. With that in mind, I want you to take a moment to think about your decision. Think about what could happen if we let this thing go back into our society. Think of the danger that it could pose to our people as well as the muggles. Ask yourself this question- do you really want this thing living amongst us?" He said letting his gaze drift around the serious and worried looking faces of the members of the Wizengamot. "The question of the matter is, do we let the immortal child live, or do we rid it from our world. The choice is yours?" He said seriously. "In favor of destroying the immortal child, please raise your hand." He looked around then nodded grimly. "In favor of releasing the child back out into the world, please raise your hand." Again he looked around then said, "And so you have made your choice. The immortal child shall be destroyed. Guard will you please bring down the torch."

Dolores Umbridge had to hide her grin at the Wizengamot's decision. She knew what their decision would be in the end, as they were a group of old fashioned witches and wizards. They didn't like to break from tradition, and so therefore would never have tolerated an immortal child to live amongst them.

But still, once she had heard their decision, excitement coursed through her veins. She had done it, she had gotten her revenge on Hermione Granger and it was so much more satisfying than she could ever have imagined. Her plan had been perfect. The manticore would have done a lot of damage back at Hogwarts, and if it managed to kill any of the traitors, then so much the better in her eyes.

She would later blame the devastation and destruction on Hermione's dragon, after all the manticore would be long gone by then. And if, by some miracle, Hermione and the dragon did survive, then it would be too late. The immortal child would already be destroyed by then, and there would be nothing Hermione could do. Revenge was hers and no-one could take that away from her. No-one.

* * *

Hermione's words still hung in the air, as everyone looked on in silence. No-one knew where Morvin was, she was gone.

"Where is she?" Hermione asked again, sounding more desperate this time. As she made her way towards the castle. She needed to find Morvin, she needed to make sure she was all right. She also had to make sure Dolores Umbridge was still in the castle as well. Otherwise who knows what the deranged witch would do to her daughter.

"Hermione stop." Demetri said, grabbing her arm to halt her in her tracks.

She glared at him, with eyes that were frantic with worry.

"I have to find my daughter." She snapped, trying to tug her arm out of Demetri's strong grip.

"I know Hermione and we will find her, but Morvin isn't in the castle." He said, after all he was a specialized tracker. "The witch has gone as well." He said, confirming Hermione's worst fears.

He watched as she visibly shrank back, guilt and anger warring with each other. Finally after a moment, she looked up at him with fire burning in her eyes.

"Then where is she Demetri? Tell me where my daughter is?" She commanded.

He looked around for a moment then sighed, turning an apologetic gaze towards her.

"Hermione I can't pick up her track, I don't know where she is."

At his words Hermione let out a growl of frustration and pulled her arm from his grip. Her eyes were full of fire and determination.

"Then what good is that to me. If you can't help me find Morvin, then I know someone who will." She said, rushing back up to the castle, as her worried friends and family followed closely behind.

They all had a feeling of guilt at the situation. If only they had paid a little more attention to her, then perhaps Dolores Umbridge wouldn't have gotten her grubby little hands on her. They should have been protecting Morvin, they should have been watching her, then perhaps this wouldn't be happening now.

Hermione found the person she was looking for, and marched straight up to her. Caroline Fenton had been the one who told Dolores about Morvin in the first place. Pulling out her wand, Hermione pointed it straight at Caroline's chest, but got no response from the action.

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?" Hermione demanded. She frowned when the other woman didn't blink, she didn't even flinch when Hermione prodded her with the tip of her wand. She just stood frozen on the spot, staring into the distance. "Answer me." Hermione all but yelled, feeling her frustration and anger rise to the surface at Caroline's unresponsive behavior.

"Hermione." Severus whispered calmly, walking up to the two woman as he carefully pulled her wand away. "Stop this behavior at once. You getting angry won't bring Morvin back."

Hermione's eyes softened slightly as she turned to look at Severus. The tension in her body easing slightly.

"Then what will bring her back Severus. Caroline knows something."

Pulling Hermione back a little, Severus moved to stand in her place before taking Hermione's hand in his own.

"Yes I agree; she does know something. But look at her Hermione, does she look right to you?" He asked, trying to talk some sense into her. Hermione was a person of logic, but right now her emotions were clouding her judgement.

She turned to look at Caroline again, before noticing the slightly glazed look of her eyes. How had she missed that sign before? She wondered.

"She's been imperiod." She said quietly. "But how can she help me find Morvin?" Hermione whispered, rubbing her head with her hand.

Severus gave her a soft smile then said,

"Well done Hermione 10 points to Gryffindor." Turning his gaze to the woman who looked so much like Lily, but wasn't, he frowned then said, "I will perform legilimency on her and find out where Dolores has taken Morvin."

"Alright." Hermione agreed as she took a step backwards, allowing Severus all the room he would need to concentrate.

Marcus wrapped his arms protectively around her shoulder, then whispered,

"We will find her Hermione. I promise."

She gave him an unsure smile, before leaning back against him, feeling secure in his embrace.

"I hope so." She whispered, trying to stay positive.

The room fell silent as Severus locked eyes with Caroline. All at once he was in her mind, searching for the information he required. His stomach churned with unease, when he saw her thoughts and plans for seducing him, realizing that she would stop at nothing until she got what she wanted. He saw the image of him kissing Hermione by the lake, and felt the anger that came along with it. He had no idea that she had been watching that night, she had given no outward signs of having witnessed his kiss with Hermione, but knew that was probably part of her plan too. He saw the image of her going to Dolores, and felt her anger and hatred every time she spoke of Hermione.

The next image was the one he had been looking for, he watched as Caroline realized she had made a mistake in going to Dolores, and tried to rectify that mistake by standing up to the other witch. He watched as Dolores mocked and laughed at her before casting the imperius curse on her. Despite the fact that she no longer had the free will to do or say what she wanted, her brain was still in perfectly good working order, therefore she was able to hear everything that was being discussed.

Severus heard everything that he needed to hear, before quickly pulling out of Caroline's mind. They had wasted so much time already, he just hoped that they weren't too late.

"Severus." Hermione whispered from his side.

He was able to school his features before turning to look at her, the last thing he needed or wanted to do was worry her even more than she already was.

"They have taken her before the Wizengamot in the hopes that they will vote to destroy her. We must leave now." He said, his underlying fear clear in his voice.

Her eyes widened with fear and horror at the realization of what he was saying, as her thoughts reflected his. They could be too late.

Not wanting to think of the worst, Hermione cast a quick spell over her clothes, repairing the damage and getting rid of all the dirt. She didn't change them as she wanted them to see her in her full rider's outfit. With the hopes that her appearance could intimidate them.

"Let's go to the Ministry and get my daughter back." She said, with a determination that she didn't even know she was capable of at the moment under the present circumstances.

"Hermione you and Severus get to the Ministry as quickly as you can. I will alert Kingsley and Minerva to what is happening and we will all meet you there. Go, now." Dumbledore said, looking pale and exhausted by the events of the day.

"Thank you Albus." Hermione said, before she and Severus set off towards the apparition point.

Back at the castle Marcus turned towards Demetri then said,

"You must go and find Aro at once. Tell him that there is no time to waste and explain to him that Hermione and Morvin are in danger. He will come. He knows where the Ministry of Magic is because he has been there before. Leave now."

Demetri closed his eyes and thought of the leader of the Volturi. Once he could feel his presence he focused in on him then set off. He was staying close by because he didn't want to be too far from Hermione, which meant things would be made a lot easier for Demetri.

* * *

The moment Hermione and Severus reached the apparition point, she instantly took hold of him before apparating them straight to the Ministry foyer, with a loud angry crack.

Startled Ministry employees looked to see who or what had caused such a commotion and when they saw it was Hermione Granger, the feared vampire witch and Severus Snape, the death eater turned spy, the whisperings were quick to start.

Paying no attention to them, Hermione began to walk ahead, followed by Severus who was still dizzy and slightly disorientated at the speed she had apparated them there. But he had no time in which to pull himself together, as he followed Hermione to the dungeons of the Ministry, where the full Wizengamot were voting to end Morvin's life.

The closer Hermione got to the large room, the angrier she became. Her power and magic began to radiate and crackle all around her. She would make Dolores Umbridge pay for this, and Merlin help her if there was a single hair out of place on Morvin's head.

Reaching the large double doors, she took a calming breath before flinging the doors to the room open. The moment she looked around the room, the anger she felt instantly intensified as she saw her daughter, scared and shuddering in a cage as they went to lower a torch to her.

Dolores Umbridge was standing watching, her eyes alight with glee, while the members of the Wizengamot sat watching the proceedings from the safety of their chairs.

Using her vampire speed, Hermione moved to the man with the torch and extinguished it before he even knew she was there. She flicked her wand at him and sent him soaring across the room. Then she turned to glare at everyone else in the room, as she moved to stand protectively in front of the cage her daughter was in.

"Mummy." Morvin's weak voice said, filtering through into Hermione's mind.

"Hush now sweetheart I'm here. Mummy is here." She whispered back, without ever taking her eyes off the members of the Wizengamot, who were now all talking animatedly with each other.

"What is this?" The Chief Warlock asked, looking from Hermione to Dolores Umbridge. "What is going on?" He asked banging his gavel once again to silence the room.

"I have no idea." Dolores said, fear creeping into her voice as she saw how angry and terrifying the vampire witch was.

"You be silent." Hermione yelled pointing her finger at the woman in pink, as magic swirled around her. Dolores shuddered and shrank back, but couldn't get far enough away. "None of you will touch this little girl, she is my daughter and I will not let you harm her." Hermione hissed out.

"B-but she is an immortal child." The Chief Warlock replied, his voice quivering at how fierce Hermione looked.

"I know exactly what and who she is. She is no threat to you or the magical world." Hermione said, sounding a little more composed than she was.

"B-But Dolores said-" The Chief Warlock began to say but was quickly cut off.

"Dolores Umbridge has lied to you all. She is an evil vindictive bitch, and was out to get revenge on me by hurting the people I love." Hermione yelled, once again causing her magic to crackle in the air around her.

"How dare you?" Dolores said, looking outraged as she put her hands on her stocky hips.

Hermione turned to look at her and smiled vindictively as she used Dolores's own words against her.

"Oh I dare." She sneered, before turning her attention back to the Wizengamot. "This woman came to Hogwarts where a wedding was taking place between Charlie Weasley and his partner Phil. The Potters were there, the Malfoys, the whole Weasley family, the Professor's and even the Minister of Magic himself. She and her two goons imperiod a Professor before breaking down the door to the Great Hall. She made her intentions to us very clear." Hermione said, glaring at the woman who was now standing quivering before her. "She trapped us and sent a manticore into the Forbidden Forest, knowing that magic could not be used against it."

The Chief Warlock gasped out loud before looking at Dolores Umbridge with a look of outrage.

"Is this true?" He demanded.

She took a couple of step backwards only to bump into Severus, Albus, Kingsley, Minerva, Marcus and Felix.

"We can vouch that what Hermione speaks of is the truth." Albus said, glaring at the woman standing in front of him. "This woman endangered the lives of others, the body of the manticore is buried in the grounds of Hogwarts for you to see, and we can put our memories into a pensieve for you to see."

The Chief Warlock looked at the group of people, before turning his attention to Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Minister have you anything to add?" He asked.

Kingsley stepped forward and began to address the whole of the Wizengamot.

"Hermione speaks the truth, this woman unleashed a manticore on unsuspecting witches and wizard, knowing there were innocent children present as well. Her intentions were to kill us, not maim us. Luckily we were able to floo out of the castle, while Hermione and her dragon fought and killed the manticore, along with the centaur tribes who unfortunately lost two of their own. This woman then proceeded to kidnap and lie to you about Morvin, Hermione's daughter, in the hopes that you would sentence her to death."

The Chief Warlock rubbed his chin absentmindedly before asking,

"By why? Why on earth would she go through all of that trouble for?"

"Because during Voldemort's reign," Hermione said, noticing how even now after his death, his name still managed to make people shudder in fear. "Dolores Umbridge had something that I needed, something that I knew would help destroy Voldemort once and for all. A locket belonging to Salazar Slytherin. The locket was a Horcrux, it contained a piece of his soul, which you all know. I had to trick her in order to take it and destroy it, as she was already consumed by its dark magic. She would never have given it to me willingly. Because I took the locket from her, she wanted to take my daughter from me."

At her words Dolores Umbridge screamed and charged towards Hermione, only to be frozen by a spell.

"Liar." She screamed, her face turning red as a manic glint flashed in her eyes. "You stole it from me. You took what was mine. I almost had my revenge, but once again you had to show up like the filthy hybrid you are. You are disgusting and don't belong in our world. You need to be destroyed and I-I nearly done that."

She giggled madly before Minerva walked up to her, her own face filled with anger.

"Shut up you pink toad." Minerva said, then much to the surprise of everyone in the room, she pulled her closed fist back, before punching her in the face. Dolores moaned, as her eyes rolled back in her head. Holding her fist in her hand, Minerva smiled then said, "That felt so good." Before walking back towards the rest of the group. They patted her on the back, as she basked in the glow of finally getting to do something she had been dreaming of doing for years.

"Enough." The Chief Warlock said, rubbing his hand over his temples, suddenly feeling a migraine coming on. "I will have order in my court." He said looking towards the group. "Even though your story may be true, and I do believe it is. That does not take away the fact that this child is an immortal. She does not belong in our world and poses a threat to us."

"No she doesn't." Hermione said, her stomach dropping at his words.

"Yes she does Miss Granger." He said somewhat half-heartedly. "We cannot turn a blind eye to her existence. If we let her go then what does that say to the rest of our world? What if other vampires think it is acceptable to change innocent children, and take advantage of that? Where should the line be drawn? We cannot make it one rule for you, and another rule for others. The world does not work in that way I'm afraid." He sighed heavily then said, "I'm afraid our previous ruling must stand, the immortal child must be destroyed."

"No." Hermione screamed, moving to stand at the cage. "I will not let you kill my daughter." She yelled.

"I'm afraid you have no choice Miss Granger." The Chief Warlock replied, a lump in his throat forming at the obvious love between mother and child.

"Oh but she does." A new silky voice said from the doorway.

There were several loud gasps as everyone turned to see Aro, flanked by Heidi and a grinning Demetri, standing looking tall and imposing. He did not turn to look at Hermione, but rejoiced in feeling her gaze on him. He had missed her terribly but could not think of that now. For now, he had to concentrate on Morvin.

"And who are you?" The Chief Warlock asked, suddenly feeling cold and anxious, as he took in the newcomers vibrant red eyes.

Aro stepped into the room and walked purposely towards an empty chair before sitting down on it elegantly. He crossed his legs and straightened out his cloak, before turning his piercing red eyes onto the members of the Wizengamot.

"My name is Aro Volturi." He smiled, feeling satisfied at the cries of fear he heard. "Ahh by your reaction I can tell that you know who I am. This is my brother Marcus, also known as Hermione's father and Morvin's grandfather." He said with a grin of enjoyment on his face. "He too is also a leader of the Volturi, so you can imagine he hasn't taken very kindly to the way either of his girls has been treated by you." He smiled calmly then continued on with his speech. "Hermione, well she is a very special member of the Volturi and what hurts her, hurts us as well. I can imagine that intelligent people like yourselves know where this is going." He said quirking his eyebrow up. He did not give them the chance to speak however, as he continued on. He was always in his element when delivering speeches. "Kill Morvin and their will be consequences. You will leave _us_ with no choice."

The color instantly drained from the Chief Warlock's face at the underlying threat. The Volturi were powerful and dangerous. They took no prisoners and could easily annihilate the whole wizarding world in a blink of an eye if they so wished.

"What can we do though, we cannot let the immortal child go, too many people know about her."

Aro sat looking bored as he inspected his fingernails, then with a small smile rose to his feet. Using his vampire speed he moved to stand right behind the Chief Warlock, who almost fell off his chair in surprise.

"The answer is easy really. Let Morvin go and all of this will be forgotten. Let her go and I promise to do something unheard of by the Volturi." Aro said, sitting on the edge of the table, looking down at the extremely anxious wizard.

"W-what will you do?" He asked.

Aro unleashed a slow smile as he said,

"Let Morvin go, forget all about this and the Volturi will sign a Peace Treaty with Wizarding Britain. We will become your allies in the face of another Voldemort situation, should one arise. If you still feel that you can't comply, then I will declare War on Wizarding Britain. Morvin was pardoned by me and the Volturi guard, she is one of our own. Kill her and you go against me." He opened his hands out and looked at the Chief Warlock, a boyish smile spreading across his face. "Those are your options. Peace or War? Live or Die? Simple really." With that he moved back to stand next to Marcus, who gave him a small smile.

For the first time since stepping into the room, he stole a glance at Hermione who was looking at him with such awe and respect. Satisfied with her reaction, he then glanced towards the dark wizard, who was standing much too close to her for his liking. The dark wizard scowled at him, and all Aro could do was cock his head to the side and grin at him smugly.

The Chief Warlock looked around at all the members of the Wizengamot. They were silent and didn't seem to know what to say. They would be breaking the rules if they let Morvin go, but at the same time none of them wanted to risk going to War against the Volturi. The other positive was that they would then have allies in the Volturi guard, which could help protect them in the future.

"Before we make up our minds I would like to first get our Ministers counsel, and secondly I would like to understand what exactly you mean, when you say sign a Peace Treaty?" The other members began to murmur in agreement as Kingsley went and joined them in a discussion.

Meanwhile Aro turned to Marcus, giving him his most charming smile.

"Well what do you think brother? Did I do right?" He asked, as Marcus slowly shook his head at him. He could not hide his chuckle however, at his brother's sheer audacity.

"Really, must you be so dramatic?" Marcus chided playfully.

Aro laughed then said,

"Of course, when have you ever known me to be anything but dramatic?"

"Very true." Marcus agreed, with a chuckle.

Heidi, who had been watching the proceedings with a curious fascination, sauntered up to Aro, and placed her perfectly manicured hand on his arm.

"I think you were brilliant." She gushed, even though there was no feelings behind her words. Her eyes were fixed on Hermione, who was standing glaring at her next to the dark wizard.

"Thank you my dear." Aro whispered quietly, before squeezing her hand.

Suddenly there was a loud thud as the Chief Warlock banged his gavel, getting the attention of all the occupants of the room.

"The Wizengamot has spoken to Minister Shacklebolt and he can vouch for Morvin that she is no threat to us. He told us of her diet, her behavior and even her acceptance of the magical world. It is very rare to find someone so young with so much control. But before we can make our final decision, we would like to know what you mean by Peace Treaty. We would also like to know what exactly that would entail for us, if we signed it."

Aro smiled at the group of witches and wizards, flashing them his small, but deadly, pearly white teeth.

"As Hermione is still magical I understand how important this world is to her. I know of the dangers she faced as a muggleborn witch during Voldemort's rise to power. I have been alive for hundreds of years and know that once one Dark Lord is vanquished another is sure to follow behind. Therefore I propose that the Volturi will stay in Volterra as normal, we will not interfere in the magical world, _unless_ you specifically need the help of the guard. We can work together to create laws that are beneficial to us all, such as we can make it illegal for a vampire to change another magical being, if a vampire does you may call on us to hold a trial for them. Likewise a magical being may not destroy a vampire, unless there is reason too." He looked around the room, his face serious as he then said, "Our existence, like yours, relies on secrecy, and on us not exposing ourselves to the human world. We have our own rules and laws to follow, but that doesn't mean we cannot unite and become friends. After all, do we not want the same things? All I ask is that you let Morvin go. Then we can discuss the signing of the Peace Treaty. So what say you?" He asked.

The Chief Warlock looked around the room at all the members. With a small sigh he then said,

"Those in favor of peace and letting the little girl go please raise your hand." He looked at all the hands in the air before turning to look at the guard. "Can you please release the child?"

With a slight nod of his head, the guard walked over to the cage and cast a spell on it, before the lid popped open.

Immediately Hermione went over to Morvin, and picked up her small trembling body. Morvin buried her head in the crook of Hermione's neck and squeezed her eyes shut, as she held onto her mother tightly.

"I am so sorry sweetheart." Hermione said, cupping the back of Morvin's head gently and inhaling the scent of her hair. "I promise to take much better care of you, no-one will ever hurt you again." Tears trickled down Hermione's face and into her daughter's soft curls. Never before had she felt more like a failure than what she did then. Turning to the Chief Warlock, her eyes ablaze with fresh anger, she asked,

"What is to be done with Dolores Umbridge?"

The Chief Warlock looked at the semi-conscious woman with much disgust as he said,

"For putting the lives of Hogwarts Professors and our own Minister in danger. I sentence you to life in Azkaban. And for putting the whole wizarding world in mortal peril I sentence you to the dementors kiss. Guards you may take her and her cohorts away."

"No." Dolores cried out as the guards dragged her out of the room kicking and screaming, followed by the burly wizards and a dazed looking Caroline Fenton. Because she had been under the imperius curse, they couldn't prove how much she had been involved in the plot. So sentenced her to a minimum of one year in Azkaban. Hermione was happy with that, as she knew that in the end Caroline had tried to put a stop to it.

Once the prisoners had been taken away, the small group sat down with the members of the Wizengamot to hash out the plans for the Peace Treaty between the Volturi and Wizarding Britain. But it was Hermione who eventually came up with the best idea.

"Now that Dolores is away you will be needing a new Department Head for the Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures. Might I make a suggestion?" She said with a sweet smile.

After that, ideas were formed and plans were made until finally Aro, along with Heidi rose from the table.

"Ladies, gentlemen, I can see that you no longer need me here, so I will take my leave. I will see you all at the celebratory ball in a week's time." He bowed at everyone, before Heidi took his arm and together they left the room.

Feeling annoyed and bereft Hermione rose to her feet and followed the couple out into the hall. They were waiting for the magical elevators when she reached them.

"Aro please, can you spare me a moment." Hermione asked, looking from Aro to the woman on his arm, wondering if they were a couple or not.

He glanced at Heidi then gave a slight nod, as he watched her walk into the elevator by herself, leaving him alone to talk to Hermione.

"Yes mio caro." He asked, enjoying being in such close proximity with her. He could smell her sweet scent and he could hear her odd heart beating in her chest. He had missed her, and standing so close to her now, he craved her very essence. He had promised her that he would keep back, that any decisions made would be made by her, and her alone. He would not force things. Even if it meant that in the end she picked the dark wizard over him. Standing next to her now however, his control was reaching its limit. He needed her like he needed blood to survive.

Hermione gave a slight shudder at the use of his pet name for her. It had been so long since she had last seen him, and yet he was still able to cause her body to respond to him. She could actually feel her body thrum with pleasure, and sing with relief at being so close. But her body also craved more contact with him, and she didn't know if she could give in to that craving. Not after the way he had treated her before.

" _Hasn't he just made up for that though, after what he just did in front of the Wizengamot?"_ A treacherous voice said in her mind.

"Mio caro I'm waiting." He said, amusement dancing in his piercing red eyes.

"What- yes sorry." She said slightly dazed. "I just wanted to thank you for everything that you did in there, for saving Morvin's life and for making a treaty with the magical world. I still can't believe you done that." She said with a genuine warm smile.

He reached his hand out and gently rubbed her shoulder, causing a flame to ignite between them. The sexual tension had not lessened it seemed.

"What I said in there was the truth Hermione. You and Morvin are very special. If they were to hurt you then they would unintentionally be hurting me also. So please, no need to thank me mio caro."

Before she knew what she was doing, Hermione stood up on her tiptoes, and kissed Aro on the lips. It was soft and lingering, but it stoked the fire between them even more.

Feeling a little heady, she stepped away from him trying to get her emotions back under control. With one more 'thank you' to him, she turned on her heels and left, leaving an equally stunned Aro behind.

He smiled triumphantly before taking the magical lift up towards Heidi. Perhaps there was still hope for him and Hermione yet.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

The week running up to the ball celebrating the signing of the Peace Treaty between the Volturi and Wizarding Britain, was busy for everyone concerned. However, it was an especially busy week for Hermione.

The night after the incident with Umbridge and the manticore, Hermione and a select few others were invited to join the centaurs in celebrating the death of their two fallen heroes. Normally the centaurs were very private and proud, only sharing such intimate events with the rest of their tribe. But this time they made an exception, wanting to share their private moment with their new friends.

Hermione had been shocked and surprised when Hagrid had relayed Magorian's message to her and had no idea what a centaur funeral would be like. So when she arrived in the forest to meet Magorian and the rest of his tribe, she had no idea what to expect.

Once again, she couldn't help but feel guilty at the fact the centaur tribe had lost two of their own because of her. It was because of her feud with Umbridge that set things off, and the other witch's need to get revenge on her. If Hermione had never come back to Hogwarts, then none of this would have happened and Magorian's son and friend would still be alive.

As if sensing her thoughts, Magorian walked up to Hermione, nodding his head at her in welcome. He put his hand on hers and looked down at her with a serious expression on his face.

"Do not worry or blame yourself for what has happened Hermione. It is not your fault." He said softly. "You are not to blame."

She looked up at him with large eyes that were full of guilt, and sighed.

"Thank you for your kind words Magorian, but I can't help how I feel. If I had never come back here, then your son and friend would still be alive. Umbridge would never have done what she did, and everybody would still be safe. Of course it's my fault. She wanted revenge on me and instead everyone else got caught in the crossfire." She sighed again then looked down at her feet, unable to look Magorian in the eyes any longer.

His body stiffened and a frown appeared on his face as he put two fingers under her chin and roughly tilted her head up.

"Look at me Hermione." He demanded and all at once she obeyed. "It is not your fault, none of us hold you responsible for that woman's actions. If we don't blame you, then neither should you blame yourself." He let go of Hermione's chin, knowing that he now had her full attention. Turning his gaze up to the night sky, he looked at the brightly twinkling stars then said, "What happened was meant to happen, it is written there in the stars. Call it either fate or destiny, whatever you wish, but those events were meant to be. The reason why is simple; they mark the beginning of something much bigger than you or I. Something that will have such a profound effect on all of our lives." He turned his head and gazed at her, a look of tranquility crossing his features. "The stars show peace is coming, unity is within reach. That would never have been, if it wasn't for what happened."

Hermione wanted to know more, as her curiosity was peaked at his words. She had never put much faith in Divination, not after the debacle with Professor Trelawney in her third year at Hogwarts. But after having witnessed seeing the future herself, her opinion had changed. A little bit anyway. Unlike Professor Trelawney she believed in what the centaurs said, as they were one with nature and the stars after all. But before she could ask him any questions a horn suddenly sounded, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Let's go." Magorian said, his expression turning serious once more.

She followed him into the forest, to where the tribe lived and watched as Magorian made his way to where the two bodies lay, silent and still. Turning to face everyone he said,

"Thank you for joining us on this very special night, where we will prepare Soren and Aarav for moving on to their next adventure. We do not mourn our dead, instead we celebrate the lives they led and the joy each of them brought to us. In order for the circle to continue, one life must end for another life to begin." He said, looking towards a pregnant female.

Magorian picked up a sponge and soaked it in water that was full of fruit chunks and flower petals, making it sweet and clean smelling, as two of the centaurs began to sing a haunting melody. While they sang, Magorian began to bathe the body of first Aarav then Soren, gently and thoroughly.

Once the bathing ritual was complete, he then placed a thumb on each of their foreheads and said,

"Your time in this world has ended, but you have lived well amongst your brother and sisters. You will continue on into the next life in spirit, as your bodies remain here, nourishing the grounds you lived in and feeding the animals you shared your home with. Thanks to you the circle of life shall continue. May you both be at peace?" He said, as all the other members of the tribe echoed his last words. "We shall now make our way to the sacred grounds, the final resting place of Soren and Aarav." At his words two centaurs lifted up the body of Aarav, while another two centaurs lifted up the body of Soren. Once they were ready they set off into the forest with everyone following behind, singing as they went.

For Hermione, as she made her way through the forest alongside Hagrid, it was like being in a parade. There were no feelings of sadness, everyone seemed happy as they sang and played their instruments celebrating life rather than mourning death. It was beautiful and yet surreal. As they made their way deeper into the forest, Hermione saw that members from the other two centaur tribes had come to pay their own respects, as they threw flowers into the path of the procession.

Whatever Hermione had been expecting when she had been invited to attend, it certainly wasn't this.

Once they had reached the heart of the forest, miles away from where they began, they entered into a clearing that was full of bright green grass and flowers that were sure to bloom beautifully in the sunlight. Several torches were quickly lit as the bodies of Aarav and Soren were laid gently in the middle of the clearing. A circle was formed around them and as leader Magorian stepped into the middle.

"With life comes death, and with death comes life, forming a never ending circle. We thank nature for bringing Aarav and Soren to us, but it was there time to depart this life and move on to the next. Nature gave them a future and now their bodies will give nature back that future. Where they lie plants will grow, animals will feed, and nature will go on as intended. It is the circle of life once more. May you always be remembered in our hearts?" Magorian finished, again with the other centaurs repeating the last sentence as if in prayer. "Let us go back now and celebrate."

Hermione didn't think that centaurs would just leave the bodies out in the open, she thought they might have buried them or perhaps more dramatically, shot flaming arrows at their bodies setting them on fire. But as she spoke to the centaurs about their traditions it made sense for them to do this. They were at one with nature, and gave back what they got. To them death wasn't a sad occasion but a significant one, as it was the time of transition from one life to another and of rebirth.

She found out that the remains would be collected and buried in the sacred grounds, and when this happened rebirth could finally occur.

They celebrated life back at their home by making a large bonfire. They played music that they could sing and dance to, and set up a large feast with lots of wine, to toast Soren and Aarav. Hermione sat listening to stories about their past and finding out what they had been like. During her whole time with the centaurs she never once felt sad at the loss, for that wasn't what the occasion was about. So instead she enjoyed the time she spent alongside her new friends.

As well as spending time with the centaurs, Hermione was also kept busy at the Ministry. For when she had spoken to the Wizengamot about forming an alliance with the Volturi, they set out rules for signing the Peace Treaty. They decided that they would celebrate and announce it during the ball, where Aro and Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic, would sit down alongside the Chief Warlock and together they would sign it in front of everyone including the press. The signing of the Treaty would be the biggest story to ever appear in the Daily Prophet. Bigger than even Harry Potter and the defeat of the Dark Lord, so they wanted to make sure that it was treated as such, in order to get the maximum exposure.

So while the Ministry were preparing a ball, Hermione set to work rebuilding the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures since she would be the new department head, taking over from Dolores Umbridge. At least for a little while anyway until they found someone more suitable for the position.

The first thing she started on was building a team with someone representing each society that came under the title of magical creatures. She represented the vampire. Remus volunteered to represent the werewolf. Firenze agreed to join the team representing the centaurs. Elric who was a goblin was sent over from Gringotts. Dobby represented the house elves and Draco Malfoy willingly joined the team to represent the wizard. He had qualified as a lawyer and had worked his way up the department, so was happy to provide his expertise to help create laws and regulations for the newly formed department.

As a team the first thing they agreed on was a change of department name. Hermione had never like the regulation and control of magical creature's name, especially when the likes of Dolores Umbridge used it against magical creatures, instead of using it to help them. Because of that many people grew to dislike and distrust the department. So Hermione wanted to change that, since it was a fresh start.

After some debating and some arguing the new team decided that it would now be called the Department of Law and Co-operation between Magical Societies. Once the new department name was confirmed, Hermione got to work by asking the others to write down aims and ways to build relationships with each individual society and the new department, and how they could integrate the societies better into the wizarding world. It was hard work but they finally all agreed on ways in which to do this.

Once they had established that, they then set about building up their department by interviewing the people who already worked for the regulation and control of magical creatures, before Hermione and her team took over.

Some people weren't suitable for the job however, as Hermione felt that some were still bigoted and prejudiced against the people they would be trying to help, just like Umbridge had been during her reign as department head. Hermione wanted to change all of those negative views, and so needed a strong team and a strong department, who all shared the same views and beliefs, in order to do that.

Remus's main aim was to abolish the anti-werewolf laws that Dolores Umbridge had imposed, prohibiting werewolves from getting jobs in the magical world. He himself had been a victim of that law, having had to move from job to job over the years, when he could actually find one. The moment wizards and witches found out that he was afflicted by lycanthropy, they sacked him immediately and chased him away. Those who were more sympathetic towards his condition normally couldn't keep him on due to all the sick days he had to take before and after the full moon.

Even though Remus would be able to abolish the law eventually, he had to make sure that other laws and regulations were set in place first, otherwise chaos would arise and they couldn't have that. So one of the new laws under the werewolf act would be that in order for someone with lycanthropy to get a job in the wizarding world, they had to join the werewolf register and take the wolfsbane potion every month. Thanks to considerable donations from Albus Dumbledore, Aro and even Lucius Malfoy, who was trying to make amends for his past misdeeds, they were able to create a potions lab that would brew the wolfsbane potion for everyone registered, free of charge for the rest of their lives.

Elric the goblin was incredibly happy by this as it meant Gringotts would be in charge of the rather large account. When Umbridge was running the department, it was just a mere liaison office between the wizards and the goblins. They had next to no contact with each other except for their yearly financial meetings. But things were different now. They got to be a part of the magical world and were now seen as equals, instead of being classed as inferior beings, something they never took very kindly to. The goblins were a proud race and weren't fond of the likes of Umbridge.

Dobby the house-elf didn't ask for much. The truth was that everyone knew house elves enjoyed working. It was what they lived for. However, having been abused by the Malfoys for so long, he also knew of the hardship some house elves faced every day. So what he wanted was a register for everyone who owned a house elf and yearly checks to be carried out, to make sure that they weren't being abused.

Dobby knew that house elves would never dream of taking a wage, no matter how much or how little that wage was. They would never thank him if he insisted that they got paid for doing the things that they loved, so what he suggested instead was that they all got to wear a piece of clothing with their family's crest sewn on it, making them identifiable as to which household they served. It was safe to say that they all loved that idea. But only after they were convinced of the fact that them getting their new work outfits didn't mean they were getting set free. Instead they agreed to make their own work clothes to the specifications of their masters.

Just like goblins, house elves took pride in what they did. Wearing clothes that had the crest of the family they worked for on it, gave them purpose and a status, which in return made them happy. Because of this Dobby became the most famous and beloved house elf after that.

The centaurs didn't want much either, all they wanted was their land and a right to own it. The Ministry of Magic currently owned the Forbidden Forest, but after some talking and negotiations with the Minister and the Wizengamot things soon changed. In order to gain peace, the centaurs agreed to split the land into four territories with each of the three tribes owning one quarter of the forest, with the last quarter belonging to Hogwarts. This meant that Severus could go into the forest looking for potions ingredients, without being set upon by centaurs accusing him of trespassing.

For Hermione, she set about making up the laws and regulations pertaining to the treaty. Aro had already told her of what he was expecting plus she spoke to Marcus as well; it was just a case of now finalizing things before the day of the signing.

Everyone involved in the new department, understood that these goals and aims they had agreed on would take time to implement, they couldn't just be changed in one week. But in order to gain peace and establish their department, they all knew they would have to put in the time, work and effort for it to be a success. Something each of them was willing to do. Each member of the team was aware that the changes they wanted to make, would eventually change the magical world for the better. Integration and co-operation could finally be had.

Even though she tried hard not to, every time Hermione thought of Aro, guilt instantly washed over her. She kept replaying their kiss in her mind over and over again. She had been so caught up in the moment after everything he had done for her, including saving Morvin that she had lost control of her emotions and kissed him. Although in her eyes it had been an innocent kiss, just one of thanks, she knew that in other people's eyes it would seem a lot more than it actually was. Despite the fact that she had instantly regretted it, a small part of her couldn't think of it as being wrong. The kiss had felt wonderful and that only made her feel guiltier. First Severus had kissed her, then she had gone and kissed Aro. It was a mess and something she couldn't spend time dwelling on, as someone else kept her mind occupied at the moment. Morvin.

Ever since Dolores Umbridge and her friends had taken her, Morvin hadn't been her normal sweet bubbly self. In the beginning she had become incredibly clingy to Hermione, never willing to be out of her mother's sight, and panicking if she was, even if was just for a moment. Along with this change in behavior, she also regressed back to not talking to anyone, including Hermione, out loud. After a day or so with her behavior like this, Morvin just seemed to completely shut off from everyone else in the castle.

She never spoke, not even to Hermione, through her mind. She stayed away from everyone, even the people she loved and saw as family. She didn't even read the books she so loved to get lost in. She sat there simply looking into space, lost in a world of her own where Hermione couldn't reach her. As she had tried. But every time she spoke to Morvin, she was ignored. Every time she touched Morvin, her daughter flinched and recoiled back from her, as if she had just been burned. As time passed by Hermione feared she was losing her beloved daughter, and she had no idea what to do in order to fix it.

"Father you've tried getting close to her, so has Albus, Charlie and Remus. But nothing works. She either sits there and ignores us or just walks away. I can't get through to her, and I'm worried that she's slipping away." She turned to face Marcus who was sitting in a chair lost in thought. "Tell me, what can I do?" Hermione asked, her voice full of frustration. She moved next to her father, sitting down at his feet, while he idly moves his hand to stroke her hair lovingly.

"There is something, perhaps you could use that spell on her again. Make her forget what happened."

Hermione had already thought of that, but she knew it wouldn't work this time around. Shaking her head, she sighed then said,

"I can't get Albus to cast that spell again, he's too weak and it may be too much for her. The memories that were hidden the last time may get pushed out, causing her to become much worse. I can't risk that." Hermione sighed again then covered her face with her hands. "This is all my fault I should have done a better job of protecting her. I should have been there for her or something. All I've ever done is let her done." Hermione whispered quietly, trying hard not to let the tears flow. She was afraid that once the damn broke, she wouldn't be able to stop them.

"Now you listen here mio angelo, I have watched you and Morvin together and she loves you. No-one can ever take that love away. Hermione, you are the best thing to happen to her, do not doubt that ever. She is struggling just now, as she has been through so much, so young, but she needs you now more than ever. So please do not give up on her. Simply be there, let her know she is loved. She will come back to us in time."

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, as she leaned her head against Marcus's leg, enjoying the comfort his presence brought to her.

"I don't know what else to do." She whispered sadly.

Once again Marcus resumed stroking her hair, knowing that he needed to comfort his own daughter just as much as his granddaughter needed comfort.

"Do not think too hard about it Hermione. Simply let your mother's intuition guide you."

Hermione nodded her head, hoping that her father was right, because if he wasn't then she didn't want to think what that meant for her and Morvin. Her daughter needed her just now and she was going to make damned sure she would be there. Getting to her feet she kissed her father's cheek then said,

"Thank you so much for all your help, I don't know what I would do without you."

Marcus gave her a small smile then said,

"Oh I'm sure you would cope somehow."

She smiled and shook her head, causing her curls to sway from side to side.

"Honestly, just take the compliment please." She said with a quiet chuckle.

"So where are you going?" Marcus inquired, his eyebrow slightly raised.

Hermione looked over her shoulder at her father, and in a serious voice said,

"I'm following a mother's intuition."

He nodded his head in understanding and watched as she left the room. Once the door was shut beside her, he smiled gently then whispered,

"That's my girl."

Hermione made her way through the castle towards the place she knew Morvin loved the most. The Great Hall. Ever since she had first stepped foot in the Great Hall, Morvin had been completely charmed by the enchanted ceiling. She loved this room even more than she loved Severus's potions lab.

As she made her way down the grand staircase, she heard her name being called, instantly stopping her in her tracks. Ever since the kiss with Aro, she had been avoiding spending any time with Severus out of guilt and shame. The kiss had confused her, and she didn't want to think about it while Morvin was needing help, so she pushed it to the side and without meaning too, Severus as well.

"Hermione may I speak to you for a moment." He said, striding up to her.

Unable to meet his gaze she looked at the large wooden doors of the Great Hall knowing she was close to her daughter. But at the same time she couldn't help but feel like she owed Severus a moment of her time, if not an explanation of her recent behavior.

"Sure I can spare a moment." She said, giving him a small smile that never quite reached her eyes.

"Where are you rushing off too?" Severus asked, with a slightly raised eyebrow. He knew that she had been avoiding him for some reason, he just didn't know why. At first he thought it was because of the way Morvin was acting lately, but deep down he knew it was something else, something that involved that day with Aro. He just didn't know what, and couldn't risk legilimency on her. So he could only guess and his guesses were doing nothing but cause him restless sleeps and confusion. He had to know.

"I'm going to the Great Hall to see if Morvin's there. I have to get to her." He could hear the pain behind her words and knew that now was not the right time to speak to her, so he pushed his own feelings aside.

"May I escort you there then?" He asked, extending his arm out to her and seeing the relief flash in her eyes.

"Thank you." Hermione said. They both knew it was for more than just his courtesy.

He simply nodded his head in understanding and waited for her to take his arm. But before her small hand wrapped around it, a sudden burst of noise sounded from the Great Hall.

"Morvin." Hermione whispered, her head snapping towards the double doors, where she could hear her daughter screaming.

"Go." Severus said, removing his arm from her reach.

Without another word being said, Hermione ran towards the wooden doors before flinging them open, they had been fixed since Dolores Umbridge blew them apart. The sight that greeted them was one of utter chaos.

Morvin was screaming and shouting at Demetri, yelling for him not to touch her, as she physically tried to lash out at him. Felix was trying to hold her back but was getting kicked and punched for his sins. She was completely out of control, and all the pent up anger, and frustration she had been feeling had finally boiled to the surface. Charlie, Phil, Minerva and Albus as well as some other Professors were in the room, which meant they too were in danger from an uncontrollable Morvin. Hermione knew that deep down, Morvin would never intentionally hurt anyone she loved, but right now she couldn't take that chance.

Moving towards the commotion using her vampire speed, she got between her daughter and Demetri.

"What the hell is going on here?" She asked, her voice authoritative sounding.

"He touched me." Morvin yelled. "I don't want him to touch me." Those were the first words Hermione had heard her say since the incident with Umbridge, but they left her with more questions than answers.

She turned her attention to Demetri, confusion clearly written on her face.

"What does she mean, you touched her?" She asked, without any accusation.

"I swear Hermione it's not what it sounds like. I came and sat next to her and put my hand on her arm. All I did was ask her if she was alright and that I was here if she needed to talk. The next thing I know she's shouting and screaming at me, trying to attack me."

"Liar." Morvin screamed, once again struggling to get out of Felix's arms.

"Hermione, Demetri is telling you the truth, we all saw it." Felix added, causing Morvin to scream and shout louder.

Following her mother's intuition that Marcus had spoken of, she thought about what her intuition was telling her to do now? First of all she needed to take control of the situation, and she couldn't do that while everyone was here, so there was only one option for left. It was drastic, but right now drastic times called for drastic measures.

Pulling out her wand she quickly cast a body bind spell followed by a silencing spell on Morvin, and watched as her small body slunk down towards the ground. She was caught by Felix, who lifted her still body up into his arms.

"Hermione what are you doing?" He asked, his voice full of shock. He couldn't believe Hermione had just turned her wand towards her daughter, it was unimaginable. He would never have believed it if he hadn't just seen it happening with his own eyes.

"I'm doing what I should have done when all of this started. Taking control." She moved towards Felix and opened her arms out. "Give me Morvin." She watched as Felix gently lay Morvin's body into her awaiting arms. "Excuse us, but Morvin and I need to have a serious mother daughter conversation." With that she left the Great Hall, with a stunned looking Morvin in her arms, and made her way out onto the grounds towards the Black Lake. For this they needed peace and quiet, away from prying eyes.

Once they had reached the shore, Hermione stood Morvin on to her feet and looked into her daughter's eyes. There she saw anger, pain, confusion and fear written in them and knew she had to get to the bottom of her feelings once and for all.

"If I let you go, do you promise not to attack me, speak or scream?" Hermione asked seriously. "Blink once for yes and twice for no."

At first Hermione didn't think Morvin was going to comply, as she could see the anger threaten to boil over once again. But she simply kept her gaze locked onto her daughter and waited patiently, until finally Morvin calmed down enough to finally blink once in reply.

"Good girl." Hermione praised, pulling out her wand. "If you act the way you did in the Great Hall, I will bind you again. Do you understand?" Again she watched as Morvin blinked once for yes. "Good." She cast the spell and watched, as Morvin flexed her hands, and shook her body, then she glared up at her mother. "Don't give me that look Morvin. What I did may seem unorthodox, but it was the only way I could get you to calm down." Hermione sighed then sat down on the grass, she looked at Morvin expectantly and patted the spot next to her. "Join me please sweetheart, we need to talk as this can't keep going on."

Morvin looked at her mother and felt herself relenting. She sat next to her but made sure to leave a gap, as right now for some reason she didn't want anyone touching her.

"Tell me sweetheart, what's going on in that head of yours? Why did you attack Demetri like that?" Hermione's voice was soft and encouraging, the last thing she needed or wanted to do was scare Morvin away, or anger her more than she already was. She didn't want to push her daughter too far, too soon in case she lost her completely. So they would take things slow, and hopefully Morvin would eventually open up to her.

For a while they sat in silence, as Morvin looked out over the lake. The sight was simply beautiful as the sun danced off the surface of the water. It was peaceful here, and very quiet. Normally she enjoyed the quiet stillness but just now she didn't want that. She didn't want to be alone with only her thoughts for company. Those scared her more than anything. So there was only one thing for it, she turned to Hermione and finally said,

"I was so scared when they took me. I was in darkness, and I didn't think you were coming. I thought I was alone and going to die." She said in a quiet childlike voice.

Hermione felt her heart constrict in her chest and went to move to hug Morvin, before seeing her flinch. Pulling back, she ignored her daughter's reaction, for now anyway, and said,

"Sweetheart I am so sorry about what happened, I should have done more to make sure you were safe. But believe me when I say that I will always come back for you. Always. You are my daughter, you are my life and I love you more than anything else in the world. No-one will ever get to hurt you while I'm around." Hermione hoped her words had an effect on Morvin, she hoped her daughter understood just how important she was to her.

Turning her gaze away, Morvin sat in silence for a moment, pondering Hermione's words. She knew they were the truth, but still something was missing.

"Why do bad things keep happening to us? Why can't we just live a normal life?" She asked.

Hermione sighed and looked across the water, wondering the best way to answer that question. So she decided to go with being honest.

"Truthfully I have no idea sweetheart. Ever since I can remember bad things have always happened. Growing up I wasn't normal, and I had to face a lot worse things than most children my age, just like you." Deciding to take a chance, she stretched her hand over to Morvin and waited to see what she would do. She looked at it for a moment, and then with a little hesitancy slipped her own small hand in her mother's waiting one. Hermione felt some relief at the small action. "But sweetheart can I also just say that with every bad thing that happens, a lot of good things happen also. I mean look at our time together so far, if things hadn't happened the way they did you and I would never have found each other. We wouldn't have a group of people who loved us. We wouldn't have Nafeesa. We wouldn't have the amazing life that we do now. We cannot stop living and loving in fear of bad things happening. That's not the way the world works."

Morvin sat in quiet contemplation, then finally broke the silence by saying,

"When I heard the beast roaring and the centaurs screaming, I had a memory flash in my mind. I was paralyzed with fear and sat in the corner trying to block out the noise." Morvin whispered.

"What was the memory?" Hermione asked, dreading the answer but needing to know.

Morvin sighed and looked down at the grass between her legs. Picking up a flower she began to twirl it around.

"I was outside lying in the dirt. It was nighttime and there were people lying beside me. I could hear men yelling in anger, and the screams of terrified people. I remember trying to block the noise out by covering my ears with my hands but no matter what, the screams never quietened." She paused twirling the flower for a moment then said, "That memory was real wasn't it. That was me when I was going to be turned into a vampire." It was not a question but a statement. In her mind, she knew the memory was real.

Hermione squeezed Morvin's hand tightly.

"Honestly sweetheart, I don't know if that memory is true or not, I wasn't there. But if you think it's true then it must be." Hermione knew that she had to choose her words carefully. She couldn't let Morvin know that she had seen her past, otherwise she would start asking unwanted questions risking more memories from her past to be triggered. "Is that why you don't want Demetri or anyone else to touch you? Because of that memory?" She asked, hoping the answer was yes.

"No." Morvin whispered quietly, causing Hermione's heart to sink once again.

"Then why?" Hermione simply asked.

Morvin buried her head in her hands, as if she was trying to cry then let out a low frustrated growl.

"Sometimes I hate the fact that I can't cry like you can. Sometimes I wish I can let everything out but I can't." Turning she looked at Hermione, frustration, fear, and embarrassment warring across her features. "When I was locked in that cage, sitting in the darkness, another memory came to me. This one I don't know if it was real or not. I don't know if I was a human or a vampire either." She said sadly.

"What happened sweetheart?" Hermione said, trying to control her own emotions. Somehow she knew that she wasn't going to like what Morvin was about to say.

"I-I was in a dark room, naked and tied up by my throat. I was so scared and so hungry, I didn't know where I was. Then a man came in but I couldn't see his face, only his boots. I don't know what happened next, all I remember is feeling so much pain and feeling so scared, I could hear myself wishing for death." Her face was full of anguish at remembering the memory. A memory she had no idea was real or not.

Without thinking Hermione grabbed Morvin and sat her in her lap, before wrapping her arms tightly around her. At first Morvin struggled, but when she felt Hermione's tears slide down her own face onto hers, she quickly stopped struggling and calmed down. It was almost as if her mother's tears were washing away her pain.

"Sweetheart I can't tell you if that memory is real or not, but what I can say is that everyone who is here loves you, none of those people in the castle would ever hurt you like that. You need to be a big girl now and make a choice. You can either let that memory rule your life, as it's been doing. Or you can push the memory away and focus on what you have now. Only you can make that decision sweetheart, there's nothing I can do to erase it. But I can help you to ease it, and I can try and make you forget it. You have a bright future ahead. You have a family who loves you and will do anything to protect you. You are safe now and I promise to always put you first. I promise to be a better mother to you than what I have been."

"You are a great mother." Morvin half sobbed, as she wrapped herself tighter against Hermione's body.

"Then come back to me little Mo." Hermione whispered, nuzzling her nose into Morvin's hair.

At her mother's words Morvin had never felt more complete or more wanted than she did then.

"I'm right here mummy." She whispered, as Hermione began to sob quietly into her daughter's curly hair. She knew then, at hearing those words, that in time everything would be alright again. That together they could get through anything that life threw at them. As long as they had each other.

Even as Hermione thought this however, Morvin had her own thoughts running through her head. She was glad that they had each other, but deep down she knew that something, or rather someone was missing. Yes, she had a family who loved her and her mum who would do anything for her, but there was something that they didn't have that she wanted. There was something that her mum didn't have, but didn't quite know she wanted yet.

Morvin wanted a dad. She wanted to be part of a proper family. She wanted a dad who would keep both her and her mum safe. A dad for her and a husband for her mum. But the question was who? That would need some careful thinking and some planning, and may also require the help from her grandpa. So for now she was going to enjoy spending time with her mum, and would come back to that idea later.

Together Morvin and Hermione sat hugging one another, as the events of the past few days finally caught up to them. Each one hoped that now things were out in the open, things could go back to the way they were before Umbridge and the manticore happened.

"You know what my mum used to do when I was sad, hurt or simply needed comforting?" Hermione finally asked, breaking the silence between them. Morvin tilted her head up to look at her mum without speaking. "She used to sing me this one muggle song that always made me feel better." She brushed a stray curl away from Morvin's face and bent her head down slightly to kiss the tip of her perfect little nose.

"Will you sing it to me now?" Morvin asked, moving her head flat against Hermione's chest so that's she could hear her heart beating. She felt the vibrations rumble when her mum began to laugh.

"Oh god I can't sing Morvin. I am what you would call tone deaf."

Morvin chuckled then said,

"Please, it would make me feel better."

Hermione frowned playfully down at her daughter then kissed the top of her head.

"All right then but don't say I didn't warn you." She cleared her throat then in a sweet sounding voice, which was much better sounding than she thought, began to sing.

" _For you, they'll be no more crying._

 _For you, the sun will be shining._

 _And I feel that when I'm with you,_

 _It's alright, I know it's right._

 _To you, I'll give the world._

 _To you, I'll never be cold._

 _Cause I feel that when I'm with you,_

 _It's alright, I know it's right._

 _And the songbirds are singing, like they know the score._

 _And I love you, I love you, I love you, like never before."_

Hermione began to hum a tune and gently rocked Morvin in her arms, just like her mother used to do with her when she was a child. It brought back her own memories, from a childhood that seemed so long ago. Then she began to sing the last part of the song, in the same sweet voice as before.

" _And I wish you all the love in the world._

 _But most of all, I wish it from myself._

 _And the songbirds keep singing, like they know the score._

 _And I love you, I love you, I love you, like never before._

 _Like never before._

 _Like never before."_

After the song ended, Hermione simply held onto Morvin, as she became lost in her thoughts. Until now she had never really thought about her mum or dad or the life they once shared. To her that was a distant memory away. A different life that belonged to a different Hermione Granger. Thinking about them now, made her realize that she missed them in a way and wondered what they were doing now. If they were happy and safe. Perhaps she could ask Severus, as he had been the one who altered their memories. Maybe he could find them for her, so she could see them one last time.

Seeing the sad look pass over her mums face, Morvin gently cupped Hermione's cheeks, bringing her attention back to her.

"Do you miss them? Your mum and dad?" Morvin asked gently.

Hermione smiled thoughtfully then said,

"Yes and no. I miss them because of the life we shared together, but that life is gone now. I know that they are out there somewhere happy and safe, and that's all I ever wanted for them."

"Every time you sing that song to me, sing it to them as well." Morvin said.

Hermione smiled down at her daughter, before giving her a grateful hug. She had finally returned to her.

"You know that sounds like a great idea. But you know what sounds like a better idea, if we went up to the castle for you to see everyone. You owe Demetri an apology, and I know everyone is missing you." For a brief moment, worry flashed in Morvin's bright eyes, but Hermione quickly took her hand in hers and held it up for them both to see. "We'll go together and I promise I won't let go."

"Together." Morvin repeated, causing Hermione to smile lovingly at her.

"Yes together."

With that a happy mother and an equally happy daughter made their way slowly across the grounds of Hogwarts, in a comfortable silence. Their joined hands and small smiles were proof that an even deeper bond had formed between the two of them. But that didn't mean Morvin had let go of the idea of having a dad. It just meant that for now, it was pushed to the back of her mind. For now, it was just her and her mum, and she couldn't have been happier. She knew that things would be alright.

 **The song Hermione sang to Morvin is called 'Songbird' by Fleetwood Mac. With regards to the centaurs, I asked my hubby who is a complete geek with things like that, how he thought a centaur should bury their dead. I was going to write the flaming arrows funeral, but my hubby asked me how close to nature the centaurs in my story were, so I told him. He explained to me how Buddhist Monks used to leave the dead out in the open, in order to be at one with nature and give back, so I thought hmm that sounds like a good idea. So if you don't like what I done there and if you would have preferred the flaming arrows lol, then blame my hubby for inspiring me hehe. Anyway thank you all so much for reading. Only four chapters left to go lol.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

After their mother daughter talk together down by the lake, things had really improved for Morvin. She had gone back to the castle with a smile on her face and apologized to everyone for her behavior, especially to Demetri who had received the brunt of it.

They were all sympathetic towards her, after what she had just been through with Umbridge and her cronies, so were understanding to how she felt. At the same time everyone who loved and cared for her, reassured her of the fact they were all still there for her and loved her, even after how she behaved.

There were still times that panic and fear arose inside of her, but instead of kicking off and shutting everyone out, like she had been doing before, Morvin simply turned her gaze towards her mum, who seemed to instantly know how she was feeling. She would give Morvin the warmest and most encouraging smile, move over towards her and take her hand in hers. Hermione never had to say anything, as Morvin knew that they could deal with anything together. It was these simple acts that gave Morvin the courage and strength to get through her negative thoughts and feelings.

Morvin kept her promise to herself, as soon as she could, she went straight to her grandpa Dumbledore and spoke to him about finding her mum a husband, and her a dad. He had of course chuckled happily at his little matchmaker in the making, his twinkling blue eyes sparkling brighter than ever before. He had loved her idea and when Morvin asked who he thought would make an ideal husband for her mum, he simply chuckled, rubbed his thinning straggly beard and suggested that they waited until the celebration ball. Then perhaps they could find Hermione the perfect husband there.

Morvin had looked at him, noticing the knowing glint in his eyes, and wondered if he was hiding something from her, something that he knew that she didn't.

She had instantly loved the idea however, deciding that she would help make her mum the most beautiful woman at the ball, not that she wasn't already the most beautiful woman, and see which males were suitable for her.

Her plan was simple, she would look at all of the men's reactions towards her mum, and her mum's reactions towards the men, and see which ones looked the most telling. They would also need to be accepting of her as well, after all her and her mum came as a package deal.

In her mind Morvin already knew the kind of husband and dad she was looking for, for her and her mum. He had to be strong and powerful in order to keep up with Hermione, he had to be honest and kind towards them both, he needed to be a protector, someone who could keep them both safe. But most of all he had to love her mum, and hopefully her as well.

Severus Snape popped into her head several times across the course of her planning. Yes he could be snide and snarky and act mean, but he never acted like that with her or her mum, not really anyway. He wasn't exactly kind, but he was nice to them and Morvin knew that deep down he had a good heart. Even if he didn't show it often. He was also a powerful and courageous wizard, her mum and grandpa had already told her that, plus she had read it in Hogwarts: A History. She could also feel his powerful magic radiate from him herself. It wasn't as strong as her mum's magic however, but her mum was unique and Severus wasn't, he was just a normal ordinary wizard.

Most importantly though he already loved her mum. She could see it in the way he acted and in the way he looked at her, and he had already told Morvin that. Not in so many words, but she knew. Just as she knew that her mum cared for him in return. The only obstacle standing in their way was the fact that he wasn't a vampire like them. That could be changed simply enough, if it wasn't for the fact that one of the laws in the Peace Treaty the wizards and the Volturi were signing, forbade vampires from turning magical beings. Getting around this law would prove to be the difficult part in her plan, but she wouldn't give up hope just yet. She was her mother's daughter after all, persistent and insufferable were their middle names.

Two days before the ball Morvin put part of her plan into action, and that was making her mum beautiful. Yes she had a lovely selection of gowns but nothing yelled out 'wow' to her. She needed help in convincing her mum to go shopping, so roped in her aunty Dora to help.

"Oh come on Hermione, stop being such a bore. This ball is happening partly because of you. You need to look your best." Dora said, sitting beside Morvin on a bed covered in beautiful gowns.

Hermione frowned and looked at the two dresses she had picked out, rubbing her chin and wondering which one she liked best.

"Dora I really don't need any more dresses. I like these two." She said pointing to the midnight blue dress and the pearl pink one.

Dora huffed and got up from the bed, almost tripping on the dress that was dangling on the floor. Getting her balance back, she walked over to the two dresses Hermione was currently studying then said,

"The blue dress is a nice color but it's boring as hell. There's nothing special about it, and you need to look nothing less than special. It's your night Hermione, so don't hide from it. And this-" She said yanking on the pearl pink dress, before making a vomiting sign. "Is just completely disgusting."

"Hey I like that." Hermione said, stroking the dress and frowning at her friend.

"Hermione it's gross. There's no shape to the dress, the color is washed out, and no offence but next to your pale skin, it'll make you look like a ghost. Trust me, both of these are no-no's."

Hermione sighed and looked at her daughter for help.

"Morvin sweetie what do you think?" She asked, hoping to hear the answer she was looking for.

Morvin looked at the dresses then grimaced.

"I agree with auntie Dora mum; they aren't right for you."

Hermione sighed, but she was not yet defeated. Moving across to the bed, she picked up a red dress and held it against her body.

"What about this one then?" She asked smiling.

Morvin and Dora looked at each other for a brief moment, before they both made the gagging motion. Giggling they turned to look at an irate looking Hermione.

"That one is worse." Dora said, taking the dress out of Hermione's hands before chucking it onto the bed with the others. Truthfully there was nothing wrong with the dresses, she just wanted to help Morvin with her plan. "Hermione if you won't go dress shopping for yourself, go dress shopping to help your pregnant friend instead then." Dora wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulder and began to bat her lashes wildly. "Please." She begged.

Morvin came beside her mum and auntie and wrapped her arms around them both. Tilting her head so that she was looking up, she too began to bat her lashes.

"And for your daughter." Morvin added followed by a, "Pretty please." Of her own.

Hermione looked at the pair of them, fighting back a smile. She knew when a battle was lost. Rolling her eyes at them both, she laughed then said,

"Fine you win."

Both Dora and Morvin squealed with delight, before doing a victory dance around a beaming Hermione. She couldn't disagree with their wishes, especially not when Morvin was finally looking so happy and content.

So that afternoon the three ladies went out shopping, first to the wizarding world and then when it got darker to London. Eventually all three had picked out dresses and accessories for the ball.

It was when Hermione came out wearing her dress that both Dora and Morvin gasped, sitting with their mouths gaping open like fish. Hermione fidgeted with the dress while looking at her reflection in the mirror, before turning to her two silent companions.

"Well what do you think?" She asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious. It wasn't a particularly revealing dress, but it clung to her curves and dipped quite low at the back, showing off a good area of bare skin. "You hate it don't you?" Hermione said with a sigh, as she made her way back towards the dressing room to take it off.

Dora quickly bolted towards Hermione, almost falling flat on her face. Luckily Hermione managed to catch and steady her before that disaster happened. The last thing she wanted to do was tell Remus that his pregnant wife fell because of her. Especially after what happened the last time Dora was pregnant and in her company. That was not a memory she wanted to remember, as the guilt still plagued her even now.

"Hermione, we don't hate it we love it. The dress it's perfect for you. You're absolutely stunning." Dora said, with an excited smile.

She fidgeted with the dress once again, then looked between her friend and daughter.

"You really like it?" She asked, looking at her reflection in the mirror.

"Yes." Both Dora and Morvin said at the same time.

Once their dresses were picked out they paid for shoes and accessories before heading back to the castle. It had been such a fun day for all of them, and just what they needed after everything that had happened.

The night before the ball, while Hermione and Morvin were walking back from the forest after seeing Nafeesa and Magorian's tribe. They bumped into Severus at the main doors of the castle.

Hermione got the distinct impression that he had been waiting for them and could see that he was nervous, despite the fact he tried to hide it. At seeing this Hermione suddenly began to feel nervous herself.

"Severus how are you?" She said in greeting, giving him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I'm well thank you. Were you out visiting your dragon?" He asked with a slight nod towards the forest.

"Yes as a matter of fact we were. And we saw Magorian." She added, as the uneasy feeling grew in her stomach.

"I still cannot believe that you were able to consort with the centaurs. Such an amazing achievement." He said, unable to hide his awe and pride for her.

Hermione frowned slightly then said,

"It was nothing really."

Severus snorted then said,

"Nothing, Hermione have you any idea what you have done for the magical world. You have ensured peace between all the magical beings. You have called a truce between the centaurs and Hogwarts. Given werewolves back their lives amongst other things. That is quite an accomplishment and you should be proud of yourself. I know I am."

If Hermione had been human she would have blushed profoundly at his words. During her time as his student, all she had ever wanted was his approval. One kind comment for all of her hard work. But she never got it.

Hearing him now compliment her didn't feel as good as she thought it would. They now shared a past where they once had an intimate relationship with each other. This making the compliment feel less.

She gave him a small smile and shook her head slightly.

"Thank you but I can't take all the credit. After all it was Aro who done most of the work."

She watched as Severus's face turned cold and impassive at the mention of the Volturi leader. Guilt stirred within her as she knew how much they detested one another, with neither one ever hiding that dislike.

"Yes of course Aro. What a true hero he is?" Severus sneered, unable to hide his disdain for the other man. The man who he seen as a rival and a threat.

"Severus I'm sorry. Anyway we must be going now." Hermione said, once again giving him a small sad smile.

Morvin, who had been watching the full exchange with excitement, suddenly felt disappointment. She had been excited when she saw Severus obviously waiting for them. He clearly wanted to see and speak to her mum. This flared hope inside of her that perhaps her plan wouldn't be that hard to fulfill after all. But then the Professor's whole demeanor seemed to change at the mention of Aro.

She knew from before that the Volturi leader and her mum also had feelings for one another at one point, but whenever she saw her mum and him together, things always seemed so tense and unfriendly between them. Aro was powerful, as he was the leader of the Volturi. Morvin knew that he would keep her and her mum safe, as he had already proven that by saving her life. He didn't seem friendly to begin with but when she spent some time in Volterra, when her mum was recovering after the battle with the Romanians, she had gotten to know him a bit better, and started to enjoy his company. She never really thought of him as a romantic interest for her mum, as they seemed to dislike each other. But maybe there was something more to it than that, something that she didn't understand as she was still technically, only just a child.

She sighed inwardly thinking how strange and exasperating adults were. Talk about being confusing.

Hermione went to walk away when Severus suddenly grabbed her arm gently, preventing her from moving away from him.

"I apologize Hermione I didn't mean to cause any offense." He said.

Hermione knew that it had taken a lot for him to say that, especially by the look of his clenched jaw and slightly gritted teeth. He was a proud man and so normally would never even consider apologizing for being rude or defensive. So Hermione was warmed to see that at least with her, he was prepared to make some kind of effort.

"Thank you Severus, but really there's no need to apologize to me." She made to pull away again, but he simply held on to her arm a little tighter, not ready to let her go just yet.

"I was hoping that I could talk to you, in private for a moment. I promise not to take up anymore of your time." He said.

She could hear his nerves sounding in his voice and felt the slight trembling in his hand. Once again the uneasy feeling became stronger at just the mere sight of him.

Turning she glanced down at Morvin, who was watching them with a look of excitement and worry.

"Morvin sweetie will you go on ahead please. The Professor and I just need a quick moment alone."

Morvin looked from her mum to the nervous Professor before nodding her head in agreement. She walked away down the corridor and turned a corner, but instead of continuing on she stopped and hid flat against the wall, so that she could listen to what was being said. Despite her previous thoughts, hope once again flared inside of her. This was it, she thought, with some excitement.

"What is it you wish to talk about Severus?" Turning her attention back to the wizard in front of her, she tried to hide her feeling of unease. She didn't know why she felt so uneasy at the moment, after all this was Severus, the man she had loved, perhaps even still loved. There was just something about being alone with him just now that felt, not wrong, but not right either. It was awkward.

"Hermione I have never been good with words, and I have never been good at articulating how I feel. But with you it's different. You are someone who is important to me, you know how I feel about you, about us, that has never changed, despite how hard I tried to change it, to forget. I feel this pull towards you, which I cannot explain. And despite your protests I know you feel it too." Feeling brave, he moved towards her, holding her gently by the elbows, enjoying the feel of her small body pressed up against his own. "I know you don't think we have a future together, but I think you're mistaken, there is something between us that cannot simply be ignored. Tell me that I'm wrong." He whispered, his face only inches from hers. "Tell me that you don't feel it too."

"Severus I-I don't know if I can." She reluctantly admitted. Even though a part of her knew they could never be together, another small part of her thought otherwise. There was some kind of a pull between them, it wasn't as strong or as consuming as the pull she felt with Aro, but it was a feeling that could not be ignored nonetheless. It only led to confuse her more. "There is something there, but I don't know what, and the last thing I want to do is toy with your emotions. I'm just as confused by this as you are."

He shook his head then said,

"I am not confused Hermione. I love you."

At his words a crippling pain tore through Hermione's body, overtaking the feeling of unease.

"Severus stop, don't say anything more." She pulled herself away from him, and groaned as she clutched at her chest.

"Hermione." He said, a look of fear and confusion written on his pale face. He took a step towards her but she backed away from him immediately.

"Don't come any closer, please." She begged. "I can't do this, I'm sorry Severus. I really am."

With that she moved at vampire speed down the corridor, completely oblivious to Morvin who was still hiding flat against the wall.

All three of them were confused and completely bewildered by what had just happened.

Severus felt more rejected at that moment, than he ever had in his life. He should never have said anything to her. He should have done what he always done and hid his feelings away, so that he would never be hurt again.

Meanwhile Morvin felt sad towards both her mum and the Professor. All she wanted was for them both to be happy, preferably with each other.

Hermione however, felt the pain lessen in her body, the more distance there was between her and Severus. She had no idea what had just happened, but whatever it was didn't feel good. Her thoughts and feelings were a jumbled mess at the moment, and she didn't know what to do to sort them out. She needed some time alone to think. So with that she left the castle and headed to her hill, the same hill she and Severus had shared their first kiss on.

Sitting alone, lost in her thoughts she never saw the dark figure watching her from afar. Even after hours of sitting there, when she finally decided to head back to the castle, she was still oblivious to the dark figure. Only when she had disappeared into the castle, did the figure finally move away.

* * *

The evening of the celebratory ball had finally arrived, and even though Hermione was feeling incredibly nervous at being thrust into the limelight in front of all Wizarding Britain. Others were rubbing their hands with excitement and glee.

The biggest news in the whole of the Wizarding World was about to be broken for all to see, and it would do wondrous things for the Ministries less than stellar reputation. After the disaster with the War and the problem with Umbridge, the hope was that any damage done would instantly be repaired. For no other Ministry in the world, past or present, had ever made such history by forming an alliance as powerful as this before.

Thanks to Hermione Granger's link to both worlds, the Ministry were prepared to use that so the alliance could not be broken. They would keep her happy no matter what, therefore keeping her bond to the Wizarding World strong. This, they hoped, would be enough to convince the Volturi leader to remain allies with the Wizarding World. The Wizengamot were not stupid, they knew that without Hermione, there would be no such alliance. After all the Volturi didn't need the Wizarding World, it was the Wizarding World who needed them. But the Ministry were prepared for a little manipulation on their part, especially since they had never been avert to using such tactics in the past. Why would they stop now?

The Ministry ballroom was decorated tastefully with round tables and silk linens. There was a stage with a long oak table on it and four chairs for the signing of the Peace Treaty. The dance floor was large with shiny polished floors, and right in the center of the room was a large beautiful glass chandelier with never melting candles on it. The light illuminated the hall giving it a beautiful glow.

Only the rich and famous were invited to attend the ball, the ones who seemed to hold power. As well as the Order of the Phoenix members, who had been important during the War.

Dumbledore had arrived with his Professors and fellow Order Members, including the whole Weasley clan and the Potters. The Malfoys had decided to join the Order at their table, knowing they would be welcomed there. They wanted to prove to everyone, especially those who were in a more distinguished society, that they had changed and so by sitting there, they hoped people would see them in a good light.

Everyone had put on their best outfits knowing the occasion was important, but not everyone knew why. Only those who had been at the Ministry that day, when Aro saved Morvin, knew what they were doing there and why they were celebrating. That didn't stop the excitement or the gossiping however, as everyone chatted and spoke amongst themselves.

It wasn't until the doors opened revealing the full Volturi guard that a hushed silence fell on the room. Aro stepped in first, with a beautifully dressed Heidi on his arm. Marcus stood to his left, while Caius and Athenodora stood on Aro's right. Behind the three leaders were Felix, Demetri, Jane, Alec, Chelsea and Afton, followed by the lower ranking guard members.

As Aro made his way further into the room, a few frightened murmurs could be heard. The magical folk had seen pictures of vampires before so knew exactly what they were, but they didn't know who these vampires were.

"We're not late are we?" Aro asked, smiling his charming boyish smile to all the frightened observers.

"Of course not. Welcome to the Ministry of Magic." Kingsley Shacklebolt said, walking towards him with his hand extended. He was followed closely by the Chief Warlock who was practically bouncing with excitement, and the rest of the Wizengamot.

Aro smiled politely as he was welcomed by each one, glad that he had purposefully put on leather gloves so that he didn't have to see their many thoughts and memories. In truth he wasn't here for them. He was only here for her.

Letting his gaze wander he spotted Dumbledore right away, and didn't take long to spot the dark wizard, glowering at him from the old wizard's side. He was both relieved and disappointed not to see Hermione there, and quickly wondered where she could be, this was her big moment after all.

He could not say anything however, as Kingsley began to make his speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen thank you all for coming. As you can see by our visitors, tonight is a very special occasion. One that has never happened before and probably will never happen again. As you know Hermione Granger was turned into a vampire during her heroic fight against Voldemort. Despite her change however, Hermione remained half witch and so will therefore always be a part of our world. Some of you may not know that Hermione is also a member of the Volturi guard. They are the most powerful and influential vampire clan in the world." At his words, various exclamations and gasps filled the air causing Aro to smirk with glee. He did enjoy the smell of fear in the air, especially when his family had caused it. "Please do not panic and do not see this as a bad thing." Kingsley said, trying to reassure his people. "Hermione has built the bridge between both worlds and because of this an alliance of the most remarkable kind has been formed. The Volturi, out of respect for Hermione and her magical side, has agreed to sign a Peace Treaty with us." Again shocked gasps and murmurs sounded across the entire hall as everyone took in what had just been said. Aro smirked again, enjoying the show immensely. "So tonight let us dance and celebrate before you all witness the signing of the Peace Treaty." With that a loud round of applause broke out as everyone turned to glance at the Volturi guard. Some of them like Felix and Demetri smiled, while others like Jane and Alec simply looked bored. "Of course we cannot celebrate properly without our final guest of honor." Kingsley said as he indicated the large double doors. "Can everyone please welcome one of the saviors of the Wizarding World, Hermione Granger and her daughter Morvin Granger."

All heads turned to look at Hermione and her daughter, as even more gasps could be heard. This time it wasn't because of shock or surprise, but because Hermione stood at the entrance of the doorway looking stunning, the glow illuminating her body, making her look almost ethereal.

She wore a beautiful elegant mermaid style dress that clung to every curve of her petite frame and softly pooled around her golden heeled feet. The dress was pale gold in color with long sleeves and gold shiny stones sewn on, which twinkled and shone when they were caught by the candlelight. Her long dark hair was swept to one side flowing over her shoulder in gentle elegant waves, instead of the usual wild curls. She wore a little lipstick and no jewelry as she didn't want things to look too fussy. Her dress was elegant and sophisticated but it was when she turned around that really drew everyone's attention. The dress revealed the full expanse of her smooth pale back, almost stopping at an indecent level. She was simply stunning.

Morvin meanwhile, wore a pretty white and gold dress with matching gold shoes and a gold hairband in her sleek dark curls. She wanted to compliment her mums outfit.

Even though all eyes were on her, Hermione only had eyes for one person and that was Morvin. The moment they had walked into the room, Morvin tensed at the sheer number of people that were looking at them. People she didn't know and people who wanted to destroy her that day, when she stood in front of the Wizengamot. Fear and panic welled up inside of her and she immediately froze on the spot.

Sensing her daughter's fear, Hermione looked down at Morvin before taking her hand in hers and entwining their fingers. She squeezed Morvin's hand gently, getting her attention.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" She asked, worry clearly etched on her face.

Morvin was currently unable to speak, out of sheer panic, so instead she turned wide frightened eyes onto her mum and nodded her head.

"Do you wish to leave?" Hermione asked, not wanting Morvin to stay just for the sake of it.

Hermione had some kind of idea that this might happen, so all week she had pestered Morvin about coming, asking if she was sure. Every time she asked however, Morvin replied with 'yes' and kept saying 'she would be fine' but obviously that wasn't the case. The last thing Hermione wanted was for all the fear she had felt to come rushing back. She didn't want any more old memories resurfacing either.

Again unable to speak, Morvin simply shook her head before looking back at the expectant crowd.

That was when she finally saw her grandfather and Aro, as well as Demetri and Felix. Then sitting at a table not far away was her grandpa Dumbledore, Minerva, Remus, Dora and Severus. It was then that she realized that although there were many people here she didn't know, there were also many people who she did know and loved. And who in return loved her as well. Not only did she have them here but she also had her mum, who was a force to be reckoned with by herself.

So with that reassurance, she was finally able to relax, as she smiled up at her mum, then towards the people she loved, giving them a small wave.

Those who knew Morvin, relaxed as well, seeing that she was fine.

Together with their hands still joined, Hermione and Morvin walked down the staircase towards Kingsley and the Volturi guard who were patiently waiting with smiles.

The smirk that had been on Aro's face before, had completely gone as he drank in the sight of Hermione like a thirsty man. She was even more breathtaking than he remembered. It was everything about her, not just her looks.

He knew that after tonight, he could never live another moment without her. He needed her, just as much as she needed him. They had been apart for too long, but tonight he was determined, that would all change. For tonight she would finally be his.

The orchestra struck up and began to play a waltz, as a trickle of people slowly made their way onto the dance floor. Some of them used the dancing as an excuse to talk about everything they had just seen and heard. While others remained quiet and confused, watching the proceedings with curious eyes.

Pulling his attention away from Hermione, Heidi bestowed Aro with a radiant smile as she whispered,

"Care to dance."

He in return looked at her and smiled, before bowing his head slightly and kissing her hand in consent.

"I would be delighted." With that the two vampires elegantly glided onto the dance floor and began to join in with the rest of the dancers.

During their whole little display, Hermione and Severus watched them. She felt a pang of jealousy at the show, while he looked at the two vampires with confusion. He then turned his attention back to Hermione and gently patted his pocket, to where a small velvet box was nestled safely inside. After their talk Severus realized that he did not want to be without Hermione. No matter how long they had together, he wanted to be a part of her life. Even though she had practically ran away from him, leaving him hurt and confused, he knew Hermione felt something for him in return. He just had to convince her that they belonged together.

So that night he had gone back to his rooms, and found the box that lay hidden underneath his bed. It contained the only things he owned that belonged to the Prince side of his family. Inside the box was his grandmother's engagement ring. It was a white gold band with a beautiful vibrant diamond, perfect for someone like Hermione, who had long slender fingers. He had twirled the ring for a while before coming to his decision. Tonight, he would ask Hermione to be his wife.

Lost in thoughts, he was finally pulled out when he felt a tingling on his skin, almost as if someone was watching him. When he looked around, his dark eyes settled on a vibrant pair of red eyes.

Aro was watching him smirking in delight, almost as if he had been reading Severus's thoughts. His own eyes narrowed at the smirking vampire, before his attention was drawn away to his dance partner. The woman Aro was dancing with looked completely different to the rest of the Volturi. Her eyes were the most mesmerizing violet, a color he had never seen on anyone before.

She too smirked at Severus, before gently whispering something into Aro's ear, causing the vampire to toss his head back and laugh in delight.

Fury boiled inside of Severus at that. How dare they laugh at him, as though he was some form of amusement to them? Before he could do anything about it however, Dumbledore gently lay his hand on the younger wizard's shoulder.

"Do not do anything rash my boy. It is not worth it." He said, giving the laughing couple a reproachful look. They sniggered once more, before turning their attention back to the dancing.

"I have no idea what Hermione ever saw in him." Severus seethed.

"I do not think Hermione had any choice in the matter." Dumbledore replied, wincing slightly at the pain in his chest. For the past couple of days the pain had been getting worse. There was so much going on at the moment however, that he didn't want to tell anyone and spoil the occasion. So he simply sipped his pain potion and kept quiet like a good wizard. Now the pain was getting worse, and things were getting harder to hide.

Severus noticed the wince on the Headmaster's face at once and instantly became concerned.

"Albus is it your heart?" He asked, with worry lacing his normally impassive voice.

Dumbledore smiled reassuringly, before laying his cold clammy hand on Severus's one.

"Do not worry yourself my boy, it is just the normal twinges. Nothing more."

Severus was not convinced by this; he could tell that the Headmaster was hiding something but didn't want to push him in case he made matters worse.

"If you're sure." He said.

"I am." Dumbledore replied, giving Severus a small relieved smile. He was glad that Severus was letting matters go. The last thing he wanted was for him to press the situation further, he knew how determined the Potions Master could be. "Walk with me to get a drink." Dumbledore asked, sounding tired.

With that the two wizards made their way towards the bar, avoiding stepping on the dance floor and knocking into any of the dancers.

Meanwhile Hermione and Morvin made their way towards Marcus, still with their hands entwined.

"Hello father." Hermione said, kissing his cheek in greeting.

"Mia angelo you look simply radiant." He said with a loving smile. "And you my sweet girl are definitely the belle of the ball." He said, picking a giggling Morvin up into his arms.

"I think mum gets that title." Morvin beamed, snuggling her head under her grandfather's chin. "Did you see everyone stop and look at her?" She giggled again, glad her plan to turn her mum into the most beautiful woman was working.

Hermione frowned, but was unable to hide the amusement in her eyes.

"I don't know sweetheart; I think they were all looking at you."

Just then, Hermione could feel _his_ presence behind her, before she could even see him, the feeling was both thrilling and discomfiting at the same time. She didn't want to speak to him, in fact she would be happier spending the whole night away from him. But obviously that wasn't to be.

Her body thrummed with heat when he placed a solid gentle hand on her bare back. Tilting his head slightly, she could feel his lips not far from her ear.

"Hermione mio cara, care to dance." His voice was as smooth as silk, and she tried not to shudder at his close proximity.

Feeling defiant, as she would not be lured into his trap, she pulled away from him and frowned.

"I think I will pass on the dancing just now, if you don't mind." She said, in a calm voice that didn't betray how she was feeling.

He gave her a charming pout in reply before saying,

"Are you sure? As honored guests I thought it would be compulsory for us both to share at least one dance, in order to celebrate our new alliance. After all it was formed because of you and I."

Hermione hated his logic. He was using that to manipulate her into a dance, and she hated the fact that she agreed with him. It wouldn't do well for the magical world to see her refusing him. But still, that didn't mean she was going to give him what he wanted right away.

Looking around she spotted Heidi staring at them. Tilting her head to him she whispered,

"Wouldn't your date mind?" Since she had spotted them together that first time, she had been curious about their relationship. She knew that they had a past together, but the question she wanted to know, but didn't dare ask was, did they have a present? They looked awfully cozy together, but that didn't mean anything. Or did it? She hated these questions and the need to know.

Aro smirked triumphantly at her, enjoying seeing her look so jealous. If she was jealous it meant that she still felt something for him, no matter how little or how large that was.

Not wanting to give her the satisfaction of knowing the answer to that unanswered question, Aro simply gave her a pleasant smile.

"I'm sure she won't mind, as I already promised her the next dance."

He smirked at seeing the jealous irritation flicker in her eyes, but it wasn't there for long.

"Oh dear the music's stopped, did you not just say you promised her the next dance."

Marcus shook his head and rolled his eyes at the pair of them. They were behaving like children. However, Morvin was enjoying herself immensely. She still didn't understand adults but she was enjoying the teasing between them.

The moment however was broken, as a cold chill suddenly ran across Hermione. During the silence, a small gasp of breath sounded, a noise that would be considered quiet to normal human ears. But to Hermione and every other vampire in the room, the sound was amplified.

Hermione's gaze quickly turned to the source of the noise, locking onto Dumbledore. He threw his head back as he tried to inhale a painful breath of air, his hand clutching tightly to his chest. She watched as his frail body slowly crumpled to the ground, but using her vampire speed was at him in less than a second, catching him before he could hit the floor.

Cradling his head in her lap, as if it was the most precious thing in the world to her, she whispered his name desperately, as everyone began to surround them, at the sudden realization of what was going on.

"Take…. me…. home." Dumbledore wheezed through strained, almost forced breaths. No-one needed to ask where home was.

"Go on Hermione. We will meet you there as soon as possible." Minerva said, tears already glistening in her knowing eyes.

Without another thought or look to anyone else, Hermione carefully apparated away with Dumbledore gently cradled in her arms. Her magic was so powerful it could break through the weakened Headmasters wards. They all knew the truth though. The great and brilliant Albus Dumbledore was dying.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Hermione apparated with Dumbledore straight into his bed chambers, having spent time there after she had changed. With no-one there to see, she carefully picked his frail body up into her arms and lay him gently down on the bed.

Taking every bit of him in, Hermione could hear his rapidly beating heart, and she could see the sweat dripping down his pale face, running into his stringy beard. His eyes were tightly squeezed shut in pain, as his breathing came out in ragged breaths. Moving towards his window, she opened it wide letting in some cool fresh air, before heading back to the frail Headmaster.

Since the moment he had told her about his heart condition, she always knew this day would come, but even still nothing prepared her for the sight of the once powerful wizard, lying small and weak in front of her.

A lone tear trickled down her cheek, as she pulled her wand out and cast a cooling charm over his heated body. He sighed with contentment at the small action. Flicking her wand again, she changed his robes into a cool nightshirt, then moved to sit on the bed next to him, taking his thin hand in hers.

Gently she ran her cold fingers across his forehead, causing him to sigh in pleasure once again. Slowly his dull looking baby blue eyes opened slightly, and at seeing her worried face looking down at him, he smiled.

"Hermione, my sweet girl." He rasped, squeezing her hand in his.

"Ssh Albus, don't speak. Save your energy for when the others come. They will all want to see you." She replied, trying to remain strong in front of the man she loved, a man she saw as a father.

Dumbledore chuckled slightly, which soon turned into a coughing fit. Moving quickly, she helped him sit up and held a glass of cool water to his pale dry lips.

"Drink." She said, her voice laced with concern.

Obediently, he done as she asked, and took several small sips of water, before falling back onto the pillows, looking just as exhausted as he felt, wincing at the pain in his chest as he did so.

"Albus where is your pain potion, that will help." Hermione asked rising to her feet.

"No." He wheezed, shaking his head with as much strength as he could muster. "No more potions."

Hermione frowned and shook her head, but did not sit back down beside him.

"Albus you need the potion or you will…"

"Die, yes." He whispered, finishing her sentence for her. "Hermione, my sweet girl the potion cannot cure me, it will only prolong the inevitable. I am dying and I am ready to go. Please." He begged, pulling on her hand so that she would look at him. "Help me, Hermione. Please." He pleaded again, clutching her hand more tightly in his.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, as she turned away from the sight of him, lost in her thoughts. She couldn't bear to see the strongest person she had ever known reduced to begging like this. Weak and frail as the life was drained out of him.

What he said was true, he was dying, and despite their best efforts there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

Sitting down next to him, she finally turned her gaze back onto his expectant face, and with every ounce of strength and compassion that she had, she said,

"Whatever you want me to do Albus, I'll do it." The look of sheer relief passed over his face at her words, breaking her heart even more. Bending her head towards him, she kissed his cheek and said, "I love you so much, I cannot fail you now." With that her voice broke, as he smiled at her with so much love and affection.

"You could never fail me my girl, for you see you mean more to me than life itself. Without you I would still have regrets, without you my life would have remained incomplete. You gave me love, a daughter, a granddaughter, but more importantly you gave me a reason to fight. You gave my life a new purpose." He reached out a trembling hand and stroked her cheek affectionately, as she nuzzled into his touch, her eyes squeezed shut, as tears rolled down her already wet cheeks. "Look at me Hermione." He wheezed, as his breath became more labored. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she opened her eyes and looked at his baby blue ones, as the sparkle was once again ignited. "I want you to be happy and although you have Morvin, you are not complete yet. Love Hermione. Do not be afraid to love. Promise me you will tell him." He asked, his eyes flashing knowingly.

"Albus I-" She began but was quickly stopped by the small shake of his head.

"Promise me Hermione." He said again, more strongly and determinedly than before. His eyes locked onto hers as if he were looking straight into her soul.

She could not deny him this, even though she didn't know who he meant, or what he meant, she simply could not refuse him this wish.

"I promise." She whispered, kissing his forehead.

He smiled again at her and coughed.

"Take my potion and get rid of it for me. Severus will not be able to make another batch in time." He said, knowing what he was asking her.

Once again Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, knowing that if she carried out his wish then she was helping him end his life. But she had agreed to do whatever he asked, knowing it may possibly be something like this.

"Where is it?" She asked, her voice soft and unwavering.

"In the drawer of my bed side table." He replied calmly.

She nodded her head, before unwarding the drawer door. Seeing the small vial nestled inside, she picked it up with trembling hands and took it over to the opened window. With a calmness she didn't know she possessed, she opened the bottle, before pouring the liquid out of the window, with no hesitation or second thoughts. Then she flicked her wand and watched as the bottle disappeared.

"What shall we tell them?" She asked, without turning to look at him. How could she when she had just condemned him to death.

"Do not feel guilty my girl, you have given me what I wanted." He said softly, trying to reassure her that she had just made the right decision. "We shall tell them that I dropped the bottle, as my hands were shaking so badly, while you were fetching me a glass of water. They cannot find fault with that."

Just then frantic sounding voices could be heard from his office, as everyone began to rush through the floo.

"I'll go and tell everyone." She whispered, knowing that the others would want to say goodbye to him as well. She only hoped that they would have the time to do so.

With that Hermione left the room and quietly stepped out of his bed chambers. She leaned against the closed door for a moment, and tried to gather all her emotions together.

"How is he?" Minerva asked, coming to stand beside her.

Hermione opened her eyes and turned to face the others, who all wore similar looks of fear and worry.

"Albus is dying." She whispered, as sobs and gasps of shock broke out around the room.

"But…he has the potion." Severus said, stepping forward.

Turning to look at him, they locked gazes, and with no hint of guilt or hesitancy she said,

"Albus dropped the bottle when he tried to open it. His hands were trembling so badly. I had gone to get him a glass of water so couldn't help." She lied.

She could see his eyes narrowing at her for a moment, as if trying to read her thoughts for any signs of dishonesty. As if seeing what he was looking for, he simply nodded his head, before turning his back to the room in order to glance out of the window.

"He is really weak." Hermione continued saying. "He does not have much time left and would like to see you all before…" Her voice broke off, as she covered her mouth with her hand. She couldn't believe that she was speaking these words out loud, that Albus Dumbledore was truly leaving this world.

Morvin who was watching her mum with sadness, walked over to her and hugged her torso. While Minerva put her hand on Hermione's shoulder, taking charge of the situation.

"We shall all take turns to say our goodbyes. Molly and Arthur you and some of your family go in first." Minerva said, her voice remaining strong despite the situation.

Molly, who was openly sobbing, was wrapped in a protective embrace by her doting husband, who guided her into Albus's room, along with the older Weasley children.

Group by group the friends and family of Albus Dumbledore, took turns stepping into his room to say their last goodbyes. Some were openly sobbing, while others remained calm, hiding their own sorrow, in order to give strength and support to the ones who needed it.

While everyone made their way in and out of Dumbledore's room, Severus stayed looking out of the window, quiet and lost in his thoughts. Dumbledore had always been like a father to him. It was because of him that Severus had been given not only a second chance but also a third one as well, to live his life, and to repent for his past mistakes. When everyone doubted Severus's behavior and loyalties, it was Dumbledore who had always stood by him. It was Dumbledore who showed him the true meaning of love, kindness and most importantly acceptance. What would he do now, after the Headmaster had taken his last breath? He didn't know.

"Severus." Minerva's soft motherly voice said, cutting through his thoughts. "Albus wishes to see you." She whispered, placing her hand on the younger wizard's back.

Tensing at the unfamiliar gesture, Severus turned causing his robes to billow and made his way into Dumbledore's chambers, his customary mask in place.

The sight of the Headmaster looking so fragile in the large four poster bed, caused the normally stoic Professor to break. Stumbling into the room, Severus fell at Albus's bed, his face wet with tears that he didn't even know he had shed.

"Albus, what am I to do?" He asked, looking at the small man who simply smiled at him.

"That's simple my boy, be free. Live your life the way you want to. Be happy. Love. Do not hide from these things, as they are all out there waiting for you. You just need to be brave enough to grab them."

Pain flashed in the Professor's eyes, as he tried to hide his face with his curtain of black hair.

"You believed in me when no-one else did. You loved me like a son and I cannot thank you enough for that Albus. For giving me a chance when no-one else would."

"Yes, we have been through alot together you and I." Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "But seeing you become the man that you are today, that is thanks enough for me, my boy. I am proud of you. So very, very proud."

Unable to stop the burst of emotions, Severus's face crumpled, as large sobs shook his thin body.

"Hush now Severus. Do not shed tears for me, I am happy. This is my time and I'm ready to go." He smiled, wiping away the young wizard's tears. "Before I depart this world however, there is one thing left for me to do. Will you send Hermione in for me please?"

"Of course." With that Severus rose up onto unsteady feet. He wiped his face, straightened his back, and composed his features before exiting the Headmasters bed chambers. Finding Hermione, he strode towards her and said,

"Albus wishes to speak to you."

Hermione nodded, as Morvin slipped off her lap. She had already been to see her grandpa Dumbledore earlier, and had tried to sing the 'Songbird' song to him, but didn't quite know the words yet. Her mum had to help her, so together the two of them had sat and gently sang to him.

Walking into the room Hermione sat down next to Albus, and took his hand in hers once again.

"You wished to see me?" She asked, gently stroking the paper thin skin of the back of his hand.

"Yes I was just saying to Severus that there is one last thing left for me to do." While he said this his eyes sparkled mischievously, as one of her eyebrows rose up in question.

"And that is?"

He smiled at her with some amusement then said,

"It was I who developed the 12 uses of dragon's blood and although I've gotten to see one up close and personal, I did always want to ride the back of one."

Hermione laughed at his words and looked at him with amusement.

"You wish to ride Nafeesa?" She asked, not believing what she was hearing. The man was dying, yet was asking to go for a ride on a dragon. "Are you serious?" She exclaimed.

"Very." He replied, with all traces of amusement gone. "It would make an old man very happy."

She sighed, then shook her head gently, a small smile forming.

"Then let's go ride a dragon." She whispered, flicking her wand and changing his nightshirt into warm wooly robes again. Digging into her bag, she pulled out her circlet and placed it around her forehead. At the action, her beautiful gold dress instantly changed into her dragon rider outfit.

"Hermione, would you get Hagrid to carry me outside. I don't think I could stand to apparate and I would rather you not carry me. If that's alright with you?" He said looking sheepish. He may be dying but he still had some pride and dignity left.

She smiled at him with understanding then said,

"Of course."

With that she made her way out of the room, to looks of confusion, when everyone saw her change of clothes.

"Hagrid, Albus would like you to carry him outside. He wishes to ride Nafeesa."

"Surely he cannot be serious Hermione." Minerva said, clutching her chest with worry. "You cannot allow him to do that, the man is dying." She exclaimed.

Hermione looked at Minerva and lifted her head in defiance.

"It's what Albus wants Minerva, and who am I to refuse him." With nothing else left to say to the stunned older witch, Hermione turned her determined gaze back to Hagrid, who was blowing his nose loudly into a red spotted handkerchief. "Hagrid, could you do that for Albus please." She asked again, her voice softening.

He stood up proudly, tucking his handkerchief into his pocket.

"Of course Ermione, I would be honored to so I would."

With that agreed on, he went into the room and scooped the Headmaster up into his arms and together, along with Hermione began to make their way out of the castle. The others followed behind them in a silent vigil, lost in their grief, as Albus Dumbledore made his way through the halls of his home. Knowing that it would be for the last time.

Once outside, Nafeesa was standing watching and waiting, as she too knew what was going on. At the sight of Hagrid carrying Dumbledore tenderly in his large arms, she bowed her head down low out of respect for him.

Standing close by was the full Volturi guard, watching the proceedings with a mixture of awe and fascination, as they too paid their respects.

All three centaur tribes stood as one at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, as they all watched on with respect. In their opinion Albus Dumbledore was the greatest Headmaster to ever walk the halls of Hogwarts. The Wizarding World was not only losing a powerful wizard, but also a good and true heart as well.

"Are you ready?' Hermione asked Dumbledore, who was gazing at Nafeesa with excitement.

"I've been waiting the whole of my life for this moment." He replied smiling happily.

At his words Hermione jumped up onto Nafeesa's back and helped, as Hagrid gently sat Albus down in front of her. Wrapping her arms around his frail waist, she felt his hands entwine with hers.

"I'm ready." He finally said, with more than one meaning behind his words.

Hermione didn't have to do or say anything, as Nafeesa rose to her feet, running fast before finally taking off into the night sky.

Albus gripped on tighter to Hermione, as his eyes began to water. Whether it was because of the cold air rushing by, or because of sheer happiness he didn't know. What he did know was that he had never felt happier or freer than he did at that moment.

The sky was clear of any clouds and the stars were twinkling brightly, as Albus Dumbledore took his last breath, a sound that was nothing more than a quiet sigh of contentment.

Hermione heard the small noise and held on tighter to his body, stopping him from slumping forward. Burying her face into his white hair, her tears poured freely as she squeezed her eyes shut against her grief.

"Now you are free Albus." She whispered quietly, before pulling out her wand and casting the light of the phoenix spell into the night sky.

Those who were watching from below, saw the beautiful white bird shoot across the sky and knew instantly what that meant. Hugging and sobs broke out as they watched with great sorrow, as Fawkes joined the magical phoenix across the sky, trilling a mournful song, as he soared across the castle one last time. He made his way towards the Black Lake before disappearing into the darkness. His master had gone, but a new master would not be long in claiming him.

* * *

Three days after his death, a large crowd gathered in the grounds of Hogwarts as Albus Dumbledore was finally laid to rest.

Just like the night he had died, Hagrid carried his body from the castle, and lay it gently down on the white slab, his final resting place. Before Kingsley flicked his wand causing a large white tomb to surround him.

Ministry officials, dignitaries, students, faculty members, Order members, the Volturi, and officials from other lands, stood in their hundreds, paying their last respects to the most influential wizard that ever lived.

Amongst the crowd Hermione stood holding on to Morvin, as they listened to all the speeches being made. Seeing the tears run down her mums face, Morvin traced the track of one tear with the tip of her finger and in a quiet voice said,

"I wish I could cry for grandpa Dumbledore mummy."

Looking down at her daughter, she kissed her forehead, before laying her head against hers, then said,

"I will cry for the both of us sweetheart."

Once all the main speeches had been carried out, Minerva finally took to the stage, followed by Professor Flitwick and his choir.

Looking out at all the people, Minerva smiled sadly then said,

"Everyone who knew Albus Dumbledore, knew that the man was an eccentric old bugger." With that everyone burst into laughter, agreeing with her statement. "But overall he was a good man who enjoyed many things in life. His two favorite things being sweets, mainly lemon drops and riddles. Merlin did the old coot enjoy speaking in riddles." Again laughter filled the air as she continued on with her speech. "But there was one thing that Albus loved above all else, and that was love itself. He loved this school, he loved his students, he loved his fellow Professor's, and he loved his adopted daughter and granddaughter amongst other things. But more importantly he loved nothing more than seeing love bloom between the people he cared about. Molly and Arthur, Harry and Ginny, Lily and James, Remus and Dora, Charlie and Phil. These are just a named few. If Albus Dumbledore could get one wish, he already used his flying a dragon one up, it would be to fill the world with love. So today, in celebration of his life, that's exactly what we are going to do. Filius." She said, looking towards the small Professor.

Turning to his choir he flicked his wand and at once they began to sing.

" _Love, love, love._

 _Love, love, love._

 _Love, love, love, love._

 _Love, love, love, love."_

After the first opening lines were sung, Hermione chuckled as she recognized the song. She smiled brightly, as her eyes began to glisten with happy tears. This song was completely made for Albus Dumbledore.

The magical music began to join in, as the choir clapped and sang along with the tune. Joining in, Hermione began to clap and sing with them, as those who were also muggles joined in as well.

" _Love._

 _There's nothing you can do that can't be done._

 _Nothing you can sing that can't be sung._

 _Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game._

 _It's easy._

 _Love._

 _Nothing you can make that can't be made._

 _No-one you can save that can't be saved._

 _Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time._

 _It's easy._

 _All you need is love."_

"Everyone." Filius shouted, as everyone in the crowd sang.

" _All you need is love._

 _All you need is love, love._

 _Love is all you need."_

The choir paused their singing as the instruments began to play, but still the audience clapped along in time with the music.

"Are you all ready to sing the chorus together? Now." Filius said, as this time the whole audience erupted into song. This was exactly what Albus Dumbledore would have wanted. Everyone united singing about love.

" _All you need is love._

 _All you need is love._

 _All you need is love, love._

 _Love is all you need."_

The audience stopped singing as once again the choir took over, singing the next verse.

" _Love._

 _Nothing you can know that isn't known._

 _Nothing you can see that isn't shown._

 _Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be._

 _It's easy."_

"The chorus again everyone." Filius said, as everyone sang the chorus in unison.

" _All you need is love._

 _All you need is love._

 _All you need is love, love._

 _Love is all you need."_

"For the last time." Filius said, using his wand to conduct everyone.

" _All you need is love._

 _All you need is love._

 _All you need is love, love._

 _Love is all you need."_

"What is it you need again?" He asked as the choir repeated, _"Love is all you need."_ Again and again until finally a cheer erupted through the grounds of Hogwarts. Where sadness once filled everyone's hearts, after singing about love and happiness, joy filled everyone's hearts now instead, as people everywhere turned to each other and embraced. Basking in the essence of Albus Dumbledore.

The funeral had ended as people began to make their way slowly into the Great Hall, to continue celebrating the life and death of Albus Dumbledore

As she made to follow the trickle of people, Marcus stopped her, taking Morvin from her arms into his own.

Looking at him with confusion, Hermione went to ask him what he was doing, when he suddenly answered the question for her.

"During Charlie and Phil's wedding, Albus asked me to do something for him, so I'm doing it now. He wanted me to tell you to touch his tomb. He never told me why, only that in doing so, you would finally learn the truth of what is in your heart."

Hermione frowned at her father, looking more confused than ever. Shaking her head, she muttered,

"Albus and his bloody riddles."

Marcus's lips quirked up into a smile, as he asked,

"Will you do it then?"

Turning to look at the white tomb she sighed, knowing she had no choice. Whatever Albus had in store for her, he would make sure that she got the message one way or another.

"Yes." She whispered quietly, her eyes fixed onto the white tomb.

"Good, then I shall take Morvin inside with me."

With that the two of them left, leaving a bewildered Hermione behind. She watched as the crowd thinned out until finally it was just her left. Slowly and nervously, she began to make her way towards Dumbledore's resting place, stopping just a mere foot away.

Sighing she finally said,

"Well here we are then, just you and me." She smiled. "Shall we see what's in my heart then?"

She stretched a shaking hand out and placed it gently on the white stone. All at once she felt her body being pulled at the naval, almost as if she were apparating. When the feeling stopped, she noticed that she was still in the Hogwarts grounds, but instead of looking at the white tomb, she found Dumbledore standing with his back turned to her. He was dressed in beautiful white robes, looking healthy and glowing.

"Albus." She whispered, moving quickly towards the figure, ready to embrace him. To her surprise however, she just fell through him.

Chuckling, he turned towards her and said,

"As you might have guessed by now, I am not really here, not in that way anyway. I am dead and no doubt happier than I was. Knowing you as much as I do Hermione, I bet there are a thousand and one questions running through that magnificent mind of yours." He said with a chuckle. "Then let me explain, this is a sort of pensieve, especially adapted to your touch alone. I wanted to leave you with one last thing before I finally departed. Not people know this, but I was in love once. And before you ask no it was never with Minerva. She is a dear, dear friend of mine, but we were never lovers as most people seem to believe."

At this Hermione felt genuinely surprised. She too had always believed that they were a secret couple, hiding their love from the rest of the world.

"You will be shocked to learn that I loved Gellert Grindelwald, the wizard I defeated in the first Wizarding War."

Stunned, Hermione covered her mouth in complete and utter shock, as she tried to hide the surprise.

"I can just imagine how shocked you are by hearing that. It's not surprising really considering the history I shared with him. But I digress." The image of Dumbledore said, waving his hand as if to flick away a memory. "What I really wanted to tell you is that sometimes with love comes hurt, choices must be made, whether we want to make them or not. I choose to put my love for muggles before Gellerts beliefs. Was that decision easy? No. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. You my dear girl must also make a choice." He smiled at her, as if he could actually see her. "What choice is that; I hear you ask? The choice between Severus and Aro of course. Two men who love you and in return two men who you love. You cannot avoid the question forever Hermione, it's not fair on them, and it's not fair on you either. You must choose which one your heart truly belongs too. Deep down I think you already know the answer to that question. I think that you've known for a long time, but have fought it for fear of hurting the other. Look into the mirror Hermione, see the future for yourself. I cannot tell you what you will find in it, I can only guide you to it. Good luck my girl and remember be happy and love."

With that the image of Dumbledore slowly faded leaving behind a beautiful oval gilded mirror. It was not the mirror of Erised, as Harry had once described it to her after having looked in it himself.

Cautiously she made her way towards it, scared but also anxious to see what she would find. Standing in front of it, she stared until finally the surface began to ripple, molding into shapes, as her future played out in front of her very eyes.

Once it had finished, she tore her gaze away, before crumpling to the ground, as she digested everything she had just seen.

It felt as if the last piece of the puzzle had just been put into place, as everything suddenly became clear to her. Feelings stirred within her, as she gasped and clutched her chest. It was _him_ , it was always going to be _him_ , she could no longer deny her feelings for him, she no longer wanted too either.

Opening her eyes, at the feeling of water trickling down her cheeks, she noticed that she was kneeling in front of Albus's white tomb, as the rain began to pour from the heavens.

Not caring that she was getting soaked to the skin, she buried her head in her hands and laughed. Only Albus Dumbledore could play matchmaker from the grave.

Oblivious to everything around her, she never heard or saw the black shadow moving towards her, until finally _his_ voice whispered,

"Hermione."

 **The version of 'All you need is love' is sung by Lynden David Hall, from the film Love Actually. It's a truly wonderful version. Xx**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

The heavy rain beat down on Hermione, as she continued to kneel by Dumbledore's tomb, her hand still stretched outwards lying on the cool white stone.

She had heard _his_ voice behind her calling out her name, a quiet sound that sent shivers down her spine. She did not move or turn towards him however, no matter how much she wanted to.

She was Hermione Granger, her mind was one of logic and facts. She needed to think her feelings through, review everything she had just witnessed and come to a conclusion of her own. She was never one to let her emotions rule her head. But with her kneeling in the wet grass, and him standing only meters away, she knew she would not get the chance to think things over the way she wanted too. It was the moment of truth for the both of them it seemed.

Lowering her head, as the rain dripped over her face, she tried to rein in her rampant emotions. Only Dumbledore could give her the one thing she could not give herself. The truth. He had seen what was in her heart long before even she did.

Tears ran down her cheeks, mingling with the fallen drops of rain, as a small smile broke out across her face.

"Hermione." _He_ said again, this time sounding more concerned than before. "Why are you out here in the rain?"

She could hear the ruffling of his clothes as he slowly made his way closer towards her. Still not facing him though, she slowly rose to her feet, leaning both hands against the tomb to steady herself. As she didn't trust her legs at the moment.

"The question is not why am I out here in the rain, I think that's obvious." She whispered softly. "I think the question is, why are you out here in the rain with me, when you could be inside where it's dry with them?"

There was a moment of silence before the man behind her stepped closer. Reaching his hand out to her, he wanted to touch her so badly but refrained from doing so. Somehow, he too knew that what was happening between them now was important. Everything that had happened between them in the past had somehow led up to this very moment, and he didn't want to ruin that. Instead he wanted to savor it, so reluctantly pulled his hand back, dropping it to his side.

"I looked around the hall and seen that you weren't with the others. So I came looking for you." He replied.

Smiling to herself, she could feel her love and hope for him rise to the surface. Everything that he did, showed her how much he cared. And in her heart she knew that he loved her just as much as she loved him. Admitting it to herself was easy now, but admitting it to him, that would be the challenge.

"Is that the only reason?" She asked, feeling bold in her newly found discovery.

Unable to stop himself, he moved behind her in an instant and pulled her small body back against his chest. Wrapping his arms possessively around her waist, he was encouraged when her body melted into his embrace. Sighing with utter contentment, he rested his head gently on hers and inhaled her sweet scent, as her soft curls, now damp with the rain, stuck to his wet face.

"I think you know the answer to that now Hermione. I could not relax knowing you weren't there. I had to find you, to make sure you were safe. Although I knew that you were, I had to see you for myself."

Slowly and carefully, she maneuvered in his arms, resting her hands on his chest, before finding the courage to gaze up into his face. She needed to see his eyes. She needed to see the truth in them when she asked her next set of questions.

"What do you want from me? What do you want from us?" She asked, not even trying to hide the hope and love that shone in her eyes for him. She was a true Gryffindor and wore her heart on her sleeve. There was no point in trying to hide it any longer. Nor was there any need too.

Feeling his passion stoked at the look she was bestowing on him. He grabbed her hands fervently in his and said,

" _Everything_ Hermione. I want everything from you. Your love, your heart, your body, your soul, your loyalty. Everything. I am a selfish man; I am not ashamed to admit that. So I want it all, nothing less." Looking at her with a hunger she never knew existed, he bent his head so that his lips were mere inches from hers. "In return I shall give you everything. My love, my heart, my body, my soul and my loyalty. But I have to admit Hermione, you already have most of those things. You need to simply accept them. I need to hear you say that you will accept them. That you will accept me." Gently, he brushed a wet curl from her head, pushing it back behind her ear.

She closed her eyes at the intimate gesture, before nuzzling her cheek against his hand. After a moment she opened her eyes and looked at him, her expression more serious than before.

"Before we say or do anything else, there is something that I need to show you, something important."

He looked down at her quizzically, as she waited for a reply.

"You can show me anything Hermione." He finally said, after a quiet pause.

"Legilimency." She whispered before entering his mind.

Everything that had happened since she touched the tomb, flashed between their minds, as he too witnessed their future together. There was happiness, there was love and passion, there was loyalty, and there was so much joy and laughter. It was so much more than he had ever imagined, so much more than he ever thought possible. His life had never been filled with such possibilities before, not on this scale anyway.

Watching the images flash by, one by one, it was as if he was watching the life of someone else, even though it was his face he saw. But that was not all, with this future came other surprises. Surprises he wasn't sure that he wanted, if he was honest.

Pulling out of his mind Hermione stood quietly, simply watching the range of emotions flash across his face. He was happy, excited, yet wary and uncertain. She didn't need to know which part had caused him to feel like that.

Cupping his cheek in her small hand, he turned his gaze towards her, his eyes instantly softening. This was the moment she thought, the moment she had feared for so long. For at her words, she knew she would be hurting someone else that she loved.

"If we are to have that future, you must accept it all. Not just the parts that you want, but the parts you never expected also. You saw our life together, you know what must be done, what I must do." Rubbing her thumb gently across his cheek, she finally asked, "Do you accept that future? Do _you_ accept me?"

The couple stood in silence gazing at each other, while wrapped in a lover's embrace. Neither one wanting to break the hold that the other had.

Could he accept the future that she showed him _,_ knowing thathis rival would be a part of it? Would he be happy knowing that the other man was destined to be a part of his life, as well as hers? Looking at her now, he saw her feelings for him reflecting back in her large doe like eyes, while he held her in his arms where she belonged. She had showed him a life with everything that he wanted, and was offering it to him now. His mind was made up. If accepting the other man in their lives meant he had Hermione, then so be it. He would not lose her now, or ever.

"Marry me." He finally said, causing her to gasp in shock.

"What?" She exclaimed, having not expected to hear those words as a reply.

"Become my wife." He said again, as he went into his pocket, pulling out a small black box.

She covered her mouth with her hands, as she watched in excited trepidation as he slowly opened the box. Revealing the most beautiful elegant ring she had ever seen.

"I was planning on asking you the night of the ball, but suffice to say however that things didn't go as planned." He whispered, as his gaze briefly flickered over to the white tomb. "Marry me Hermione, let us make the future you saw a reality."

Completely speechless, Hermione done the only thing that she could think of, she flung herself into his arms, and kissed him with all the intensity and passion that she could.

From the castle several pairs of eyes were watching the two lovers embrace, with one pair of eyes belonging to the man whose heart had just been crushed.

Turning away from the scene, Heidi was standing next to him, a small knowing smile on her face, as she took his hand in his.

"She was never meant to be yours." She whispered, as her eyes sought his. Their gazes met, as something heated and primal passed between them. Where there skin touched, a fire was lit traveling between their bodies. "Soon you will understand." She said with a smile.

Meanwhile, those who were watching the lovers from afar, saw a sight that was both magical and beautiful. For years to come they would always claim that the spirit of Albus Dumbledore was watching over them, smiling and twinkling madly, while taking credit for another successful match.

Because as the couple embraced, losing themselves in such a passionate kiss, the rain slowed down to a trickle, as the clouds parted shining light down from the heavens, onto the two oblivious lovers.

Finally breaking apart, Hermione smiled at him, before slowly slipping out of his embrace and taking a step back.

Worry momentarily crossed his features, as she carefully snapped the ring box shut.

"Hermione." He said, but she gently quietened him by laying a finger over his lips, lips she had just enjoyed kissing mere moments ago.

"Before I give you an answer, there is something that I must do first." She said with such determination.

"And what is that." He queried.

Standing tall and defiant, she straightened up her shoulders and back, looking every inch the worthy warrior.

"I must find Kingsley and discuss some matters with him and the Wizengamot." With that she turned her back on her love and rushed up to the castle, while all he could do was look on, a small smile tugging on his lips, as he thought of what a woman she was. _His_ woman.

Back at the castle, Hermione walked through the Great Hall, oblivious that everyone had just watched her little display outside. Finally locating Kingsley who was standing talking with the Chief Warlock, she made her way over to them and got straight to the point.

"Kingsley when is the Peace Treaty due to be signed now?" She asked the puzzled looking wizard.

"In two days' time. Why do you ask Hermione?" He replied.

She looked him straight in the eyes and without faltering said,

"The Peace Treaty will be signed, but before it can I must postpone it for a while. You see there is an urgent matter that must be discussed first." Turning around on the spot, she locked eyes onto Severus and gave him a small smile. "A matter of the utmost importance."

With that a meeting was made for the next day, to discuss the matter at hand. All parties including her, Severus and Aro, as well as Kingsley and the whole Wizengamot had to be in attendance. It would not be an easy subject to talk about and would probably need a lot of convincing, on both sides. But the truth was that no matter what anyone said, this was destined to happen for she had already seen it in the mirror.

On the 25th of August, one the biggest celebrations throughout the whole Wizarding World and throughout the vampire world took place. As history was made not once but twice that day. Not only was it the day the Peace Treaty was signed, but it was also the day that Hermione Granger got married, pledging her allegiance and loyalty to both the vampire and the Wizarding Worlds.

The event was taking place in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in front of a large portion of the Wizarding World, as well as the full Volturi guard and the Cullen's, who had flown over from Forks to bear witness to their friend's marriage.

Edward and Bella Cullen had also arrived, deciding that Hermione was not to blame for their past with the Volturi. So they let bygones be bygones and locked away any ill feelings they may have had, much to the delight and relief of the rest of the Cullen clan.

As the newly appointment Headmistress of Hogwarts, Hermione had asked both Minerva and her father to officiate the ceremony, wanting to honor both of her worlds, further strengthening the bond between them.

While the guests gathered in the beautiful hall, which was decorated in white and yellow, the groom stood readily waiting at the end of the aisle, surrounded by his and Hermione's friends and family.

The last couple of weeks had gone by too slowly for him, as he eagerly waited to finally make Hermione his bride. Other matters had taken precedence, but afterwards, when all was said and done, she had finally pledged herself to him, and now here they were. The day of their wedding had finally arrived and today they would finally belong to each other.

While he stood waiting, Hermione was putting the last of the finishing touches to her outfit. Unlike most brides on their big day, Hermione felt completely calm and at ease. Because in her heart she knew that she was making the right decision, and in her mind there were no doubts or worries, no regrets or second thoughts. This was what she wanted, and nothing could persuade her otherwise.

"Oh my god Hermione you look so beautiful." Alice said, rushing towards her dressed in a beautiful pale yellow bridesmaid's dress. Following closely behind, and almost tripping over the hem of her dress was Dora. Showing off a small baby bump, while still looking beautiful and elegant.

"She's right you know, you are beautiful." She said with a smile, as she fluffed Hermione's dress.

Hermione smiled at her two best female friends, before twirling at the mirror, getting a good look at herself wearing her dress. She felt like a complete princess and hoped that he would like her in it. Somehow she just knew he would.

"Are you ready?" Alice asked, looking at her friend intently for any signs of doubt or hesitation. She knew the full story of how Hermione got here, and just wanted to make sure that she was making the right choice.

Hermione smiled at the two women in front of her, before taking each of their hands in her own. Squeezing them gently, she nodded her head and said,

"I'm ready. This-" She said indicating the dress she was wearing. "Is what I want, he is what I want. Nothing is going to change that. We belong together." She finally said on a happy sigh.

Dora sniffed before wiping furiously at her eyes. Scowling at her friend she said,

"Damn it Hermione, stop trying to make me blubber. You know what these hormones are like." She scolded, as Alice handed her a clean hanky.

"Sorry." Hermione said kissing her friend's cheek fondly.

"I think we're already then." Alice said, bouncing on the balls of her feet excitedly. Getting caught up in the moment, Hermione giggled and joined her. This was her wedding day after all, she could be as girly and as silly as she wanted.

Not wanting to be left out, Dora joined in with the giggling and the dancing just as a knock sounded on the door. Composing themselves, while trying to stifle their giggles, Alice finally managed to say,

"Come in."

Opening the door Felix and Demetri walked in, wearing black suits with yellow ties and a yellow rose buttonhole pinned to their lapels.

Grinning broadly at all the occupants of the room, they each kissed Hermione on the cheek, looking over her stunning dress and wolf whistling at her in appreciation.

"You are simply radiant my little witchling." Demetri said with a wide smile.

"I agree." Felix smiled, taking her hand in hers. "How are you feeling, any last minute nerves. Do we need to sneak you out of the window or anything like that?" He asked, causing the small group to laugh.

Shaking her head in the negative, she said,

"Nope there's no nerves and honestly Felix, if I even tried sneaking away he would find us. The man is relentless." She said with a soft smile.

"She's making me sick with all her soppiness." Dora said with a cheeky smile of her own, as she gently rubbed her swollen stomach.

"Are you sure it isn't the block of blue cheese you ate, that's causing you to feel sick." Hermione teased, knowing that, that particular craving was driving Remus mad. He hated the smell of cheese, especially blue cheese, which Dora kept scoffing, and because of his enhanced sense of smell, it was much more pungent to him than normal people.

Once again the small group filled the room with laughter as Dora said,

"Definitely your soppiness."

Just then another knock sounded as Remus opened the door without a reply, having heard the laughter from inside the room. Standing next to him was Morvin, wearing a yellow dress and a white shrug and white shoes. Her beautiful curly hair fell down her back, as a yellow ribbon kept it out of her face. In her hand was a small basket with yellow petals.

At the sight of her daughter, Hermione put her hand across her heart as tears threatened to escape.

"You are so beautiful little Mo." She gushed with so much pride.

Morvin smiled and ran over to her mum, careful not to ruin her dress.

"Not as beautiful as you mummy, you look like a princess." She whispered, echoing her mum's previous thoughts.

Looking down at her daughter, a wary look crossed her face, as she suddenly asked,

"Are you happy Morvin, are you sure you're alright with me getting married?" Before she could even accept his proposal, one of the first things she did, was take Morvin out by the lake and discuss things with her, after all this would not only affect Hermione's future but also Morvin's future as well. Something she had to take into consideration. She had been worried that Morvin wouldn't be so accepting about having someone else join them, but she had been wrong.

Morvin had been so excited and so thrilled at hearing her mums' news. She did conspire to find her mum a husband with Dumbledore's help after all. He was also one of the men she had considered, and so couldn't wait for her mum to get married. She couldn't wait to be part of a proper family with a mum and a dad by her side.

Smiling brightly Morvin looked at her mum, with so much joy and excitement.

"I'm happy mummy honestly I am. I love you and I know you love me too, that will never change, together remember. But I would like a daddy and I would like you to have a husband. Two's great but three of us is even better." She said smiling mischievously.

Now the tears really began to fall as Hermione cupped her daughter's cheek lovingly.

"When did you get so clever?" She asked fondly.

Morvin simply shrugged her shoulders and said,

"I learned from you mummy."

Bending down, Hermione engulfed her daughter in a warm hug, before finally moving away. It would not do well to ruin her dress before the wedding.

She looked around at all the faces, seeing that everyone was fighting back their emotions at her daughter's kind words.

"Let's get married then." Hermione finally said, as she wiped at her eyes, hoping that the little makeup she was wearing wasn't ruined.

Taking charge of the situation Alice took Morvin's hand, guiding her to stand next to Teddy, who was also dressed in a suit with a little yellow rose buttonhole on his lapel. In his hands he carried a black pillow that had their wedding bands on it. Luckily for Hermione, little Teddy Lupin hadn't inherited his mother's clumsiness, otherwise the rings probably would have been long gone by now.

"When the music starts Teddy and Morvin, you will walk through the doors. Teddy you will hold the rings and Morvin, you will scatter the petals." Alice said before taking Dora and Felix by the hands, moving them to stand behind the two children. "The doors will open and you both will enter." She said, before pulling Demetri to stand behind the other two. "Then it'll be us, followed by the bride. Is everyone ready?" She asked, her voice full of enthusiasm.

"Yes." Everyone chorused, having heard this speech about a hundred times before.

"Good." She agreed. "The let's get Hermione married."

While the other half of the wedding party were getting organized, the groom stood talking to Minerva and Marcus, going over the ceremony details one last time. He had already been warned by both of them not to hurt Hermione, otherwise he would have them and hundreds more people to deal with. He had simply shaken his head at them, promising to never hurt her. As if he would or could.

Adjusting his tie slightly, Minerva sniffled before giving him a watery smile.

"You've made her really happy you know. That's all I could ever wish for her."

Taking her fidgeting hands in his, he kissed her knuckles before bestowing her with a small smile of his own.

"As she has done for me." He whispered quietly.

Before the witch could reply, the music struck up signaling the beginning of the ceremony. As everyone moved into position, the groom stood with his hands held in front of his lap, as his head swiveled towards the doors just as they opened, revealing Morvin, his soon to be daughter and Teddy.

They smiled brightly at all the guests, as they made their way down the aisle, leaving a trail of yellow rose petals in their wake.

Once they were halfway down the aisle the doors opened again, this time revealing Felix whose arm was linked with Dora. Several times, she almost tripped on the hem of her dress, causing some giggles from the guests, especially the ones who knew her. But luckily for Dora, she had Felix to steady her each time.

While Morvin and Teddy sat down on the front row, Dora made her way to stand next to where the bride would be, while Felix made his way next to the groom.

Smiling, he quietly whispered,

"You are a very lucky man. She is beautiful."

Without turning his head, the groom smiled before saying,

"I have no doubts that she is."

The double doors opened again, revealing a smiling Demetri and Alice. Making their way down the aisle, with their arms linked, they smiled and nodded in greeting to the guests, who oohed and ahhed at them. And just like Dora and Felix before, Alice made her way next to the bride's side, while Demetri made his way next to the grooms.

Once they were in place the orchestra started up, as everyone rose to their feet. Finally, the doors opened revealing a radiant looking Hermione, whose arms were linked with both Caius and Remus on either side of her.

Stepping into the hall to murmurs of appreciation, Hermione smiled as she looked at all of her guests. Her dress was made of silk and lace, which hugged every curve of her body, flowing in the mermaid style down to her feet, before pooling into a small train behind her. The capped sleeves showed off her pale flawless looking arms, as one wrist was adorned with a simple diamond bracelet, her something borrowed from Alice and the Cullen's. Underneath her dress, hugging her leg was her something blue. Her something old was the diamond tiara that she wore on her head, a gift from her father. While her something new was a pair of diamond earrings, given to her from all of the Order members.

Her normal curly hair was pulled into an elegant sleek updo, revealing the back of her dress fully. The dress was buttoned at the top, but a large oval space revealed her bare back. At the small of her back, a row of tiny round buttons began, making their way down over her bottom. In total there was about forty of them. When she had picked the dress, she had smiled when she saw this part of the design, as it reminded her of Severus's frock coat, and the many buttons he used to wear.

As she made her way down the aisle her eyes locked onto her groom's eyes, as a brilliant smile lit up her whole face. He in return gave her a slightly more reserved smile, but even still she could see the happiness dance in his vibrant red eyes. They were captivating and full of love, just for her.

Shifting her gaze, her eyes caught the piercing red eyes of the man she had turned down, whose arm was linked with Heidi's. Things weren't quite fixed between them yet, but in time she knew that they would be. Giving him a small sincere smile, he gave her a nod of understanding and acceptance in return, before she once again locked eyes with the man that she loved. The man she was just about to say 'I do' to.

Yes, things were right in the world, and those things that weren't quite right yet, she knew would be, given time.

Stopping at the end of the aisle Marcus stepped forward kissing her cheek, as Minerva took her hand in hers. Smiling at the young bride she said,

"Albus would be so proud of you Hermione."

Nodding her head, for no words could be spoken by her at the moment, she smiled and took a steadying breath. She would have loved for Dumbledore to be here witnessing her union, but even though she knew he couldn't be here in body, she knew that he would be here somewhere in spirit instead.

Everyone sat back down as Marcus suddenly said,

"Who gives the bride away today?"

"I, Remus Lupin of the magical world, give this bride away." He bent his head and kissed her cheek, before taking his seat on the right.

"And I too, Caius Volturi of the Volturi guard, give this bride away." Copying Remus's action, he bent his head kissing her cheek, before gently placing her hand into her grooms already waiting one. Then he took his place on the left.

"Then we shall begin." Minerva said with a smile, as in turn the two officials started the ceremony.

Vows were said, smiles were shared, caresses were given, as the bride and groom looked intently at one another, aware of no-one else in the room except for each other. As they promised to love, cherish, honor and obey, a beautiful white light emanated from their joined hands, bathing both of them, Marcus and Minerva in a soft light. As they each placed their ring onto the others finger, and were pronounced man and wife to the world, the white glow wrapped around them, binding them together.

Hermione smiled at her new husband as she stepped towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck, while he wrapped his arms around her small waist.

"I love you husband." She whispered with a sultry voice.

"And I love you too wife." He whispered just as heatedly.

With that they leaned towards each other, meeting halfway as their lips found one another's. There was a loud round of applause from their guests, as the new husband and wife kissed, sealing their nuptials.

Reluctantly pulling away from his wife, he pulled her into a hug, kissing her neck while enjoying the feel of her shuddering in his arms. Brushing his lips over her ear, he whispered,

"If you think you enjoyed that, then wait until our wedding night." His voice was filled with so much passion, a promise for what was to come later.

Not wanting to be outdone by his words, which caused a flare of excitement to course through her body. She nibbled on his neck, making her way up to his ear before saying,

"If you like what I'm wearing now, then wait until you see what lies underneath." She smiled innocently at him as she heard his small groan of longing, knowing that she had just won that particular battle.

"Perhaps you both should leave that behavior for later. There are guests and children present." Marcus said, shaking his head at them. Though the smile and glint in his eyes betrayed his amusement.

Following his advice, the new husband and wife turned to face their guests, their hands still entwined as they made their way down the aisle together. They were heading outside to the Black Lake, where celebrations would continue, so that the house elves could get the hall ready for the feast.

The newly married couple took to the dance floor once everyone had settled. Holding each other closely, as they savored the moment. All their friends and family watched on, as they shared the traditional first dance together, a dance that would be the first of many throughout their long and happy marriage.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi everyone this is the last chapter. When I first wrote this I was incredibly emotional as it had taken me a full year to write. I was absolutely gutted when I accidentally deleted the full story. I'm glad it's back up. Thank you to everyone who has read it, both times lol. It means a lot to me.**

 **P.S I can tell you now half of you are going to love the ending, while the other half are going to hate it. Either way please let me know. Xx**

 **Epilogue**

 **Exactly 100 years later**

 **Always**

Severus Snape had always dreamed of having power and respect, both things he thought he could obtain by following the ways of the Dark Lord. But this plan failed horribly. His childhood had been difficult, as he grew up poor, watching his father beat up his mother almost on a daily basis. Sometimes, when his father was in a particularly bad mood, he would beat up Severus as well, whipping him with the buckle of the belt until his back turned red with spilt blood.

His father took a perverse pleasure in seeing Severus cower before him, bloody and frightened huddled in the corner of the room, as far away from his father as he could possibly be in the confines of his own home. It was because of his father's actions that drove Severus's lust to be strong and powerful, a lust that was later fueled by the Marauders.

Meeting Lily Evans however, changed his life. They shared a bond so special, he thought he would never find anyone else like her in his life again. And if he was honest, he never wanted to find anyone like her either, because he wanted her. And only her.

When they both got their letters to attend Hogwarts he was excited beyond belief, especially because Lily would be going too. He would finally get away from his abusive father, he would finally get to be the wizard that he always wanted to be, and he hoped more than anything else in the world that he would finally get to be a bigger part of Lily's life, now that they would be together more often. But that wasn't meant to be.

The moment they were sorted into different houses, and the moment she had sat next to James Potter, their fates were already sealed. Their friendship would not last and he would be forced on to another path, a darker path. While Lily, his sweet Lily, would join the side of light.

It wasn't until many years later, that Severus would finally understand that Lily Evans was not his destiny, but his redemption. Her death would be the catalyst that determined the rest of his life.

Turning to the light, trying to atone for Lily and James's deaths, he would be forced onto yet another path, a path that led him to his true destiny. By protecting Harry Potter, Lily's son, he had been forced to protect Hermione Granger as well. When she first attended Hogwarts he thought nothing of her, except that she was just an annoying insufferable know-it all. An overachiever. Someone who enjoyed flaunting her intelligence, whilst unknowingly belittling others. How he loathed her in the beginning?

Years of teaching her however, proved just how wrong his first assumptions of her had been. Before he could understand it himself, loathing soon turned to love. He wasn't sure when or how it happened, but he had never felt it as strongly than what he did the night, she had come back from the Department of Ministries injured. Seeing her lying in that big bed, looking pale and at death's door, knowing how much her life was about to change, made him realize just how much he loved her. Little did he know then, what that love, and what her change would do to his own life.

Severus Snape had always dreamed of having power and respect. He thought he would have had that as a wizard, as he was incredibly powerful after all. But he had been so terribly wrong.

Sitting in his chair, looking around all the faces in the room, a small smile pulled at his lips. He is one of five leaders now. In the middle sitting in his own chair was Aro. To his left are his brothers, Marcus and Caius. And to his right was Hermione, and of course Severus himself. They are the leaders of the Volturi. Powerful and feared in their own right.

The dome room was filled with the Volturi guard, as they had one of their brief meetings. Since he and Hermione had come into power, things had changed rapidly in the vampire world, as well as in the Wizarding World.

Unlike Severus, after Hermione had changed him, he did not retain his magical abilities, only she had. But he had gained special vampire powers of his own, ones which were unique to him. As a wizard he had been accomplished at legilimency, and could occlude. As a vampire he could still do that, as well as manipulate and change someone's thoughts, replacing them with what the Volturi wanted. It was a great gift to have, one that secured his favor with the three Volturi leaders. Of course having Hermione on his side helped as well.

Turning his gaze onto her, he smiled briefly before looking down at his left hand, where a white gold band sat glistening up at him. A reminder of just how much his life had changed over the years.

No longer was he bitter, no longer was he the greasy bat of the dungeons. That man was long gone. Now he was Severus Snape Volturi, one of the most feared and respected vampires in the vampire world. He had friends and a family of his own. He had respect and loyalty. And more importantly he had a happiness that was more than he could ever have imagined.

Letting his gaze wander around the room again, he let his gaze fall upon his beautiful wife. A wife he thought he would never have let alone deserve. She was looking back at him with a small knowing smile on her perfect lips, how he loved those lips. The way they moved when she spoke, the way they looked so perfect when she smiled, and the way they tasted and felt when they kissed. Her lips hypnotized him, ensnared him even.

But it was not only the way she looked that appealed to him. No, it was her kindness, her elegance and grace, her sharp mind and caring nature. She was more than just a beautiful package to him. She was his everything.

The pull that he felt towards her, after his change was indescribable. He had never felt more drawn to one person before in his entire life. With her he felt whole and complete, like the last piece of him was finally in place. They were bound together and nothing but death could ever part them.

He was reluctant at first to go through the change but Hermione had been persuasive. How he was glad that he had listened to her? She truly was an insufferable know-it-all. Now when he called her that however, it was with love and affection. Not the scorn he used to say it with.

His attitude was not the only thing to change after he had been turned. His looks had improved as well. His skin, although it was still pale, was no longer sallow looking. His teeth were no longer yellow and crooked but white and straight and very deadly. His nose was no longer as hooked, but was still quite large for his face. His hair was no longer greasy, but was shoulder length and glossy. But the most important change in him, was his now pale flawless skin. There were no scars left from his time as a double agent, or from the beatings his father used to give him. There was no dark mark marring his flesh, branding him as a death eater. Everything that reminded him of his past had gone from his body. Making him a new and better man. And everything he had in his life now, was of course thanks to Hermione. His creator.

She had believed in him, perhaps even more than Albus had. When she had shown him the vision she had seen that night at Dumbledore's tomb, he had been reluctant about it at first. Especially when he saw that he would be spending all of eternity with her and the man he seen as his rival, by his side. He had hated that idea. But at the same time he had seen his possible future, everything he had ever wanted was there in reach, ready for him to just take. That's what Dumbledore had said to him, the night he was dying. The words he had said to Severus were 'You just need to be brave enough to grab them.' And so that's exactly what Severus did.

When Minerva and the others tried to persuade him not to do it, he had ignored their worries and concerns. He had been brave and determined and had grabbed hold of the future Hermione had seen, with both hands refusing to let it go. And it had all worked out in his favor. Not just for him, but for all of them.

After his change, the Peace Treaty was finally signed. Hermione knew that if it was signed before he had gone through the change, then she would be breaking the new laws, therefore severing the alliance between the worlds before it had even begun. So she had spoken to the Wizengamot and Kingsley about postponing it until after she had convinced them, and Severus to go through the change. It didn't take much convincing on the Wizengamot's part. After all Severus was just another wizard, one with a dark past who they didn't know if they could trust or not. They also wanted to keep Hermione and Aro onboard with the Peace Treaty, and that meant sacrificing the wizard. So they had allowed it.

Even now he can still remember feeling Hermione's sharp teeth sink into the flesh of his neck. He could still feel the venom course through his veins, as flames engulfed his body. Unlike during Hermione's change, Severus had thrashed and screamed, until finally his body came to a deadly halt. Just like Hermione, Severus took to all aspects of being a vampire quickly. And the control he showed when being near normal humans was astounding. That was why he could stand being around so many at the wedding.

Hermione had been stunning that day, looking like a complete angel, but of course he expected nothing less from her.

Hearing a familiar song fill the air, Severus looked up to the ceiling to see Fawkes fly through the opened window, joining the familiars of Hermione and Marcus.

When he had first arrived at Volterra, he had been shocked to find the phoenix waiting for him. The last time he had seen the magnificent bird, was the night Dumbledore had died. Fawkes had sung his last song for the Headmaster before flying off to where he knew Severus would end up. It had been the most pleasant surprise for Severus, a small reminder of his past as a wizard.

His thoughts were suddenly cut off, as Athenodora and Morvin stepped into the dome room. Seeing her dad sitting on his customary chair, she smiled proudly before running straight to him.

Standing up her dad opened his arms to her, and she immediately flung herself into them.

"Daddy." She exclaimed happily, as he picked her up and twirled her around, causing her to giggle with sheer delight. It was safe to say that ever since their wedding day, Morvin had become a complete and utter daddy's girl. Much to her mum's dismay. She and Hermione were still close and they still had a bond that could never be broken. But she loved her dad immensely, who in return loved and cherished her. It also didn't help that he spoiled her rotten.

"Mio bella ragazza." Aro exclaimed, kissing the top of his daughter's head, as everyone including his wife looked on. Ever since he and Hermione had married, a softer side of him had shown. Although a more possessive and protective side had also emerged, especially when it came to his family. "How are you my little love?" He asked, letting his red eyes rake over her small frame.

"I'm good daddy. But I'm going to miss you and mummy while you are gone." She said, pouting at the thought of being left alone.

"Now little Mo we discussed this." Hermione said, coming to stand next to her husband and daughter. "We will only be gone for a week." She said, cupping Morvin's cheek before kissing it lovingly. "You will be here with your grandfather, your uncle Caius, your auntie Athenodora, your uncle Severus and auntie Heidi. Not to mention-" She bent her head so that she could whisper in Morvin's ear. "Uncle Demetri and uncle Felix will be watching you as well."

Hermione couldn't contain the laughter at the look of sheer joy on her daughter's face. The three of them were the new golden trio, they were nothing but trouble together, but everyone loved it.

"Bye daddy bye mummy have fun." Morvin said, slipping from her dad's arms so that she could join Felix and Demetri.

"It looks like we are no longer wanted mio cara." Aro said, pulling his wife into his arms, so that he could place a kiss on her neck, not far from where his mark lay.

Her body thrummed with pleasure, responding to him instantly as she pulled away from him slightly, just so she could look into his red eyes.

"At least I want you." Her voice sounded husky with the promise of passion and pleasure. This was their 100-year anniversary after all. And to celebrate they were heading to Hermione's home in Germany, where she could ward and lock them in the house for a whole week, undisturbed. If something happened that needed either of their attention, they could always send Dante to them, who was keyed to her wards in case of an emergency.

"Do you have your little beaded bag with you?" Aro asked, his eyes shining with such intensity.

She laughed and held the small purse up before saying,

"Not that I think we'll need anything in it."

Pulling her tighter to his body, he growled before nibbling at her neck. The Volturi guard members were not averse to seeing such displays anymore. They still acted like hormonal newlyweds, even after 100 years of marriage.

"Vixen." He said, kissing her ear, causing her to laugh.

"Will you pair please get to a room soon? Some of us have things to do." Severus drawled, amusement flashing in his golden eyes, as Heidi made her way towards him. They gave each other a knowing look, as she gently kissed his cheek.

"We are leaving now brother. Do not fret." Aro said, smiling that charming boyish smile of his. He knew all too well what Severus and Heidi had planned while they were gone.

At first he and Severus did not get on, it was difficult considering they both saw each other as rivals. But after he had gone through the change and felt the mating pull with Heidi, Severus could not stand in the way of Aro and Hermione's feelings any longer. Especially knowing that he did not belong to her, that he belonged to another. But that didn't stop them from being rivals. After 100 years of living together, they now saw one another as brothers and allies, not foes or rivals.

"Hermione Granger Volturi, my wife and love. Are you ready to leave all of this behind?" He nodded towards everyone who was still with them, and watched as she hesitated for a moment, before filling the room with her musical laughter.

"More than ready." She whispered seductively, before apparating them away.

Now that they had gone Severus turned his own heated gaze to Heidi, looking at her with such an intense expression on his face.

"Shall we wife?" He said holding out his arm to her.

"We shall husband of mine?" With that the impatient couple left the others in the dome room, they had their own private celebration ahead of them.

When Heidi had first come over to speak to Severus, the day Hermione and Aro announced their relationship to the world, by kissing in front of Dumbledore's tomb. Severus had felt like a broken man at the realization, Hermione had chosen Aro over him. He had been bereft.

But then Heidi had come to him, saying that Hermione was never his to begin with. At the time Severus had been angry at her words, and had lashed out at her the only way he knew how, by saying scornful words. But she had been unaffected by his outburst, which only annoyed and angered him more.

Later, Severus found out that the reason for her behavior was because she knew what he didn't. That they were mated to one another.

She didn't know it at the beginning, because when she arrived at Hogwarts with Aro and the others, she had every intention of seducing Aro and making him, hers. It wasn't until she had spotted Severus down by the lake that she had felt the first stirrings of the mating pull.

She had discussed things with Aro that night, and described to him how she felt when she had seen the dark wizard. He had not encouraged her to seek him out, neither had he discouraged her either. He had simply hatched a plan with her to make Hermione and Severus think they were lovers, in order to make them jealous.

Heidi's feelings were only confirmed further at the ball, when she locked eyes with him, and felt her whole body respond. She had been both excited and nervous to have finally discovered her own mate.

Normally men were only with her because of her powers to attract, but not Severus. He was different to all the others and seen past her beauty to what truly lay underneath. He saw the real Heidi, not the one she often pretended to be, and it was liberating.

She in return, also seen past his looks and bitter façade to the man that he truly was, and because of this their souls connected on such a high level. They were made for each other.

The vision Hermione had seen that day, showed their lives intertwined with each other. The pull she felt towards Severus could finally be acknowledge, for it wasn't a romantic love they felt, but a love built on friendship and loyalty. She was destined to be his creator, not his lover or wife.

Heidi knew that she and Severus were destined to be together just as Hermione was destined to be with Aro. They were four souls, bonded and mated by destiny, who were finally able to be together even after all this time.

 **The End**


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